Western Rattlesnake Plantain Orchid
The flowers of the western rattlesnake plantain orchid are quite nondescript for an orchid, but up close they are quite beautiful. Unlike other Goodyera orchid species that all look somewhat similar to each other, Goodyera oblongifolia's flowers all tend to face the same direction on the flowering stalk, which appears about mid to late summer, depending on the longitude, altitude and local climate. Each tiny flower is hermaphroditic, meaning they have both female and male parts and most often pollinated by bumble bees. ThThis one was found and photographed in Waterton Lakes National Park in Southern Alberta, Canada. See how the flowers at the bottom of the stalk are already beginning to brown and fade as the upper ones haven't even opened yet?
- Copyright
- ©2016
- Image Size
- 3693x5539 / 11.2MB
- Keywords
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Alberta, America, Angiosperms, Asparagales, Canada, Cranichideae, Epipactis decipiens, G. oblongifolia, Goodyera, Goodyera decipiens, Goodyera menziesii, Goodyera oblongifolia, Goodyera oblongifolia f. reticulata, Goodyera oblongifolia var. reticulata, Goodyerinae, Monocots, Orchidaceae, Orchidoideae, Orchiodes decipiens, Peramium decipiens, Peramium menziesii, Plantae, Rocky Mountains, Spiranthes decipiens, USA, United States, Waterton, Waterton Lakes, Waterton Lakes National Park, World Heritage Site, beautiful, beauty, bloom, blooming, blooms, blossom, blossoms, botany, bud, color, field, flora, floral, flower, flowers, forb, fresh, giant rattlesnake plantain, green, green-leaved rattlesnake plantain, greenleaf rattlesnake plantain, herb, macro, monocot, national park, native, natural, nature, orchid, perennial, plant, plants, rattlesnake plantain, summer, terrestrial, vein, veined, west, western rattlesnake plantain, white, wild, wildflowers
- Contained in galleries
- Cranichideae