Washington's native orchids - Washington Native Orchid Society

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Melissa Rathbun-Holstein 4 coralroots have little, if any, chlorophyll, though they do contain nonphotosynthetic pigments, which impart their reddish color. Th ree other coralroot orchids are found in our state: Corallorhiza mertensiana 5 (Pacifi c coralroot), Corallorhiza striata var. striata (hooded coralroot), and Corallorhiza t r i fi d a (yellow coralroot). Like summer coralroot, these orchids are also found in forested environments, and in the case of C. striata var. striata and C. trifi da, may venture to the edges of lakes and wetlands. • Cypripedium can be 6 translated as ‘Aphrodite’s foot,’ and like the calypso orchids, Cypripedium species resemble tiny shoes. Washington is fortunate to have three species of lady’s slipper orchids: the reddish Cypripedium fasciculatum (clustered lady’s slipper), the gleaming white Cypripedium montanum (mountain lady’s slipper), and bright yellow Cypripedium parvifl orum (yellow lady’s slipper). While all three can be found in dark forests, C. montanum and C. parvifl orum can also be found in sunnier environments, and yellow lady’s slipper may be found in wetlands and along streams. Lady’s slipper orchids are increasingly diffi cult to fi nd, and C. parvifl orum is listed as an endangered species. Th is is an extremely variable species, and some claim that it should be further split into varieties makasin, parvifl orum, and pubescens. Th e species’ occurrence throughout diverse environments undoubtedly contributes to the vast diff erences in its morphology. • Dactylorhiza viridis (longbract frog orchid). Th is species is only found in Okanogan County in Washington State, yet is one of the most widespread orchid species in the Northern Hemisphere. It prefers cold, moist environments, such as mountainous meadows, bogs, and forests, where its pale green fl owers tend to blend in with surrounding vegetation. Melissa Rathbun-Holstein Melissa Rathbun-Holstein Pacifi c Northwest natives: 1. Piperia unalascensis forma olympica 2. Corallorhiza mertensiana 3. Spiranthes romanzoffi ana 4. Cyp. parvifl orum var makasin 5. Cyp.parvifl orum var pubescens 6. Listera cordata var. nephrophylla • Epipactis gigantea (stream orchid). Not to be confused with E. helleborine, a European introduction, E. gigantea has long, thin leaves and a sizable stalk of multicolored fl owers. You’ll fi nd this vigorous grower along sandy or gravelly shores of lakes, rivers, and streams. • Goodyera oblongifolia (western rattlesnake plantain) may be the only Washington orchid whose leaves are at least as interesting as its greenish-white fl owers. Its common name was bestowed by early settlers, who thought its rosette of leaves resembled that of plantain (Plantago major). Furthermore, the white and green leaf pattern reminded them of rattlesnake skin, and the plant was (erroneously) considered curative for rattlesnake bites. Widespread throughout Washington State, this species prefers shaded forest environments. • Liparis loeselii (yellow widelip orchid). Th is endangered orchid with tiny, pale yellow fl owers has only been found in Klickitat and San Juan Counties in Washington State. It prefers moist conditions, but given that requirement is met, the species is found in a wide range of environments, including wetlands, wet thickets, meadows, and lakeshores. • Listera species, or twayblade orchids, are well represented in Washington State. Th e common name “twayblade” is an archaic English word meaning “two leaves,” and all Listera species have two large leaves opposite one another. Our native species are L. borealis (northern twayblade), L. caurina (northwestern twayblade), L. convallarioides (broadlipped twayblade), and Listera cordata (heartleaf twayblade). All of these tiny-fl owered species prefer cold wetlands or moist, dense forests with a rich humus layer. While some argue that our local Listera cordata should be named var. nephrophylla, researchers recognize that L. cordata is highly variable, with a number of intermediates that are not easily classifi ed as anything but L. cordata. MORE INFORMATION Washington State Native Plant Society www.wnps.org Plant lists for every county in Washington. USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service PLANTS database http://plants.usda.gov/index.html Excellent advanced search feature for fi nding orchids or any other plant species in any location in the United States. It also allows you to add orchid sighting to their database: http:// plants.nrcs.usda.gov/cgi_bin/topics.cgi?earl=/DistributionUpdate.html Taxonomic Keys for Orchids: Flora of North America www.efl oras.org Detailed taxonomic information on just about any species. Native Orchids of Washington State www.wanativeorchids.com Great photographs of our native orchids. Native Orchids of Canada www.osrbg.ca/orchid_native.html This Web site has all the native species listed by province and hot linked to species pages. WINTER 2008 www.MasterGardenerOnline.com • MASTERGARDENER • PAGE 41
• Piperia species are found throughout Washington State and are commonly known as rein orchids, in reference to the long lower lip of the flower. The species are diverse in their requirements, occurring in grasslands and forests, in shade or sun, and under moist or dry conditions. All display spikes of small white, yellowish, or greenish flowers, many with strong evening fragrances. Our local species are Piperia candida (whiteflower rein orchid), Piperia elegans ssp. elegans, Piperia elongata (denseflower rein orchid), Piperia leptopetala (narrow-petal rein orchid), Piperia transversa (royal rein orchid), and Piperia unalascensis (slender spire orchid). Platanthera species are closely related to Piperia and were once all considered to be part of the same genus (Habaneria) since they have an extended lower lip like rein orchids. Unlike the rein orchids, however, Platanthera flower morphology includes broad anthers (the origin of its scientific name), and thus it is considered to be a separate genus. This diverse genus can be found throughout Washington State from grasslands to wetlands to for- May 1– June 15 Plants & cut fl owers available I-5 exit 263 (Brooks) 1.5 miles East 5690 Brooklake Rd NE Salem, OR 87305 503-393-6185 www.peonyparadise.com FREE CATALOG ests, displaying pure white to pale yellow or green flowers. Our native species are Platanthera aquilonis (northern green orchid), Platanthera chorisiana (Chamisso’s orchid), Platanthera dilatata (scentbottle), Platanthera obtusata ssp. obtusata (bluntleaved orchid), Platanthera orbiculata (lesser round-leaved orchid), Platanthera sparsiflora var. sparsiflora (sparse-flowered bog orchid) ,and Platanthera stricta (slender bog orchid). Once again, there is disagreement on the classification of P. dilatata, which traditionally has been further divided into varieties albiflora, dilatata, and leucostachys, based on the length of the floral spur. Further study of floral morphology has revealed that spur length varies in response to pollinator availability, and thus P. dilatata should be regarded as a unified species with floral morphology that is directly influenced by local pollinators. • Spiranthes species are named for their spiral arrangement of flowers along the stem, which has also given rise to their common name of ladies’ tresses. These species, with their aesthetically pleasing coils of white to pale yellow flowers, tolerate a variety of habitats in terms of moisture and sunlight, though they seem to prefer wetlands. Washington State contains three of these species: Spiranthes diluvialis (Ute lady’s tresses), S. porrifolia (western ladies’ tresses) and S. romanzoffiana (hooded ladies tresses). Spiranthes diluvails is actually a hybrid between S. romanzoffiana and S. magnicamporum—a species no longer found in Washington State. n References Bidartondo, M.I. 2005. “The evolutionary ecology of mycoheterotrophy.” New Phytologist 167: 335-352. Interesting, intense discussion of the mycorrhizal relationships among photosynthetic plants, fungi, and non-photosynthetic plants. Brown, P.M. 2006. Wild Orchids of the Pacific Northwest and Canadian Rockies. University Press of Florida. Includes a taxonomic key, color pictures, and descriptions of all orchids, state lists, endangered species status, taxonomic literature, synonyms, regional orchid hikes, flowering times, glossary. It does contain some factual errors and should not be considered a scientific publication, but it is a useful resource. Gill, D.E. 1996. “The natural population ecology of temperate terrestrials: pink lady’s slippers, Cyprepedium acaule,” pp. 91-106. In: C. Allen (ed.), Propagation and Production: North American Native Terrestrial Orchid Conference Proceedings, Germantown, MD. Short, easy, and fascinating discussion of a long-term field study by a University of Maryland researcher. Koopowitz, H. 2001. Orchids and Their Conservation. Timber Press, Inc., Portland, OR. Although primarily geared towards orchid conservation efforts, this book contains a good discussion of orchid flower taxonomy and morphology. Leake, J.R. 1994. “The biology of mycoheterotrophic (‘saprophytic’) plants.” New Phytologist 127, 171-216. Lengthy but thorough academic discussion of the occurrence of mycoheterotrophy throughout the plant kingdom, including orchids. Pojar, J. and A. MacKinnon. 1994. Plants of the Pacific Northwest Coast. Lone Pine Press, Redmond, WA. Regarded as an indispensable field guide for western Washington plants, this book has a nice section on many of the native orchids, with photos, identifying characteristics, habitat descriptions, and fascinating notes. PAGE 42 • MASTERGARDENER • www.MasterGardenerOnline.com WINTER 2008
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