Thursday, August 9, 2012

Rattlesnake Plantain, Goodyera Oblongifolia


Day 310: Another member of the Orchidaceae, the Rattlesnake Plaintains are just now coming into flower in the Longmire Volunteer Campground. I have been watching them develop over the last week or two and was hoping one would bloom before the stalk got too leggy to get the plant in a single frame because I also wanted to show the basal rosette. It was impossible to show the rosette and still have the details of the flowers, so the inset shows the base of a non-flowering specimen.

Unlike many other members of the Orchid family, Goodyera oblongifolia prefers a dry environment and seems to thrive in thin, acidic soil. The leaves often appear withered, even when supporting a healthy flower stalk. Look for these fairly common plants in stands of mixed conifers.

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