Sunday, April 24, 2016

Penny Perspectives - Listera Cordata, Heartleaf Twayblade


Day 194: Another little green thing found while belly-crawling through the woods...

A member of the Orchid family, Heartleaf Twayblade (Listera cordata) is somewhat uncommon, and not easy to spot due to its green color and diminutive size. A pair of heart-shaped leaves appear at the midpoint of the stem, topped by a spike bearing up to15 individual blossoms. Seen in a Penny Perspective, the flowers reveal the logic behind its common name. The lower petal is strongly divided, forming two blade-shaped lobes, "tway" reflecting an archaic form of the word "two." This elegant yet inconspicuous dainty is most likely to be found in damp, shady areas, in bogs or beside streams.

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