north american native orchid journal - at The Culture Sheet

Brown & Folsom: WILD ORCHIDS OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS OF NEW HAMPSHIRE AND MAINE
TRIPHORA consists of about 20 species in North America, the West
Indies, Mexico, and Central America, and is a genus of small, delicate
herbs, many of which may be largely mycotrophic. They all arise from
swollen tuberoids and produce, in some, very colorful, although small,
flowers. Several species have flowers that do not fully open.
Triphora trianthophoros (Swartz) Rydberg
three birds orchid
forma albidoflava Keenan–white-flowered form
Range: Texas north to Minnesota east to Maine south to
Florida
In the White Mountains region: locally abundant at the
northern limit of its range in Carroll County, NH
Plant: terrestrial, 8-25 cm tall
Leaves: 2-8; broadly ovate-cordate, with smooth margins, dark
green often with a purple cast; 10-15 × 2-15 mm
Flowers: 1-8 (12), nodding; from the axils of the upper leaves; sepals
and petals similar, oblanceolate; perianth white to pink; lip 3-lobed,
the central lobe with the margin sinuate and 3 parallel green crests
or, in the forma albidoflava, the perianth pure white and the crests
yellow; individual flower size ca. 1-2 cm
Habitat: deciduous and mixed woodlands, usually with American
beech and Canadian hemlock
Flowering period: late July-mid September
Three birds orchid is the largest-flowered and showiest of the
genus Triphora. The plants are quite elusive and only appear for a
few days most years. The stunning little flowers open in midmorning
and usually close by mid-afternoon, leaving only a few
hours for the eager eye to observe them. Colonies are not at all
consistent in the flowering habits from year to year and it often
takes a great deal of
persistence on the part
of the observer to
catch them in prime
condition.
forma albidoflava
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