Day 219: I was apparently absent from class the day they changed Listera to Neottia, so when I went to verify the scientific name via the Burke Herbarium's webpage, I couldn't find it under L and had to dig a little deeper to find out how the taxonomy had changed. However, phylogenetic studies revealed that the Twayblades were related to another Neottia known from northern Europe and Russia, and thus it was reassigned. While having to remember new names annoys me, it does help me understand the complex relationships in plant species around the globe.
That said, like many other Orchidaceae, the Twayblades (Neottia, Crow...Neottia) are facultative mycoheterotrophs, i.e., they contain some chlorophyll and therefore do not rely entirely on their mycorrhizal partner to extract nutrients from soil and decaying plant matter. Multiple mycorrhizal associations have been documented, including with certain jelly fungi in the Pacific Northwest, and the plants are pollinated almost exclusively by fungus gnats of various sorts. Neottia cordata is widespread in the northwestern portion of the United States, in the Great Lakes region and in Canada.
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