Flora of the Southeastern United States

1 Plant epiphytic, growing on the branches or trunks of trees in swamps or hammocks (rarely epilithic).

1 Plant terrestrial, growing on soil.

1 Plant a vine, the main stems long and climbing up the trunks or stems of other woody plants; stems succulent

1 Plant not a vine, instead a cespitose, trailing, rhizomatous, or hanging herb; stems not succulent.

  2 Leaves equitant in a fan-like array; plants growing as a twig-epiphyte primarily on Ceratiola ericoides and perhaps occasionally scrub oaks; [limited to xeric scrub habitat in Martin and Palm Beach counties, FL].

    3 Flowers primarily white with yellow, brown, and purple coloration; without dark streaks extending down the middle lobe of the lip.

    3 Flowers bright pink to dark purple; with 5 darker purple streaks (the middle partially yellow) extending down the middle lobe of the lip.

  2 Leaves not equitant or fan-like; plants not twig epiphytes in xeric scrub; [in a wide variety of cypress swamps, mesic hardwood hammocks, sloughs, strands, or otherwise non-xeric, swampy habitats throughout; occasionally in crevices of grit outcrops (e.g. Epidendrum conopseum)].

      4 Plant without pseudobulbs or basally thickened stems, instead only with fleshy, glabrous, fibrous, or chlorophyllous roots

        5 Plants with fleshy, glabrous, or fibrous roots, not evidently photosynthetic or velamentous; plants with 1 to many leaves.

          6 Stems with numerous alternate, cauline leaves; leaf blades ovate to elliptic or lanceolate, fleshy-leathery

          6 Stems with a single leaf, erect and sessile or subsessile; leaf blades elliptic to oblanceolate, leathery.

             7 Inflorescences few flowered racemes (occasionally several-flowered), 0.8-2 cm long; flowers dark red-purple, glabrous, typically congested near apex of inflorescence; stems 1.5-5 (-8) cm long with 4-8 closely appressed, ciliate sheaths; leaf blades < 2.5 cm long.

             7 Inflorescences many-flowered racemes, (6-)10-25 (-28) cm long; flowers pubescent, translucent yellow, often spaced throughout the inflorescence; stems 10-25 cm long with 2-3 loose, inflated sheaths; leaf blades > 10 cm.

        5 Plants with chlorophyllous roots, evidently photosynthetic, velamentous (with thick spongy root epidermis); plants with leaves absent, early deciduous, or otherwise inconspicuous.

               8 Inflorescence a densely arranged, 2-ranked, erect or pendent spike with more than 12 flowers; flowers sessile at the node; floral bracts cordate; spur saccate

               8 Inflorescence a moderate to loosely flowered raceme with 1-10 flowers (less than 12), floral bracts lanceolate; spur arcuate or scrotiform.

                 9 Chlorophyllous roots with prominent white marks; perianth segments (sepals/petals) > 20 mm, white to cream-colored; middle lobe of lip with subquadrangular isthmus, between 2 twisting caudate lobes 45-70 mm long; arcuate spurs to 17 cm long; roots 3-5 mm wide.

                 9 Chlorophyllous roots without white marks; perianth segments (sepals/petals) < 4 mm long; lip ovate, lacking long caudate lobes, pale yellow; scrotiform spurs to 4 mm long; roots < 1 mm wide

      4 Plant with pseudobulbs (thickened stems), pseudobulbs sometimes inconspicuous, reduced, or appearing as basally thickened stems.

                   10 Pseudobulbs inconspicuous or not prominent (stems appearing basally thickened or pseudobulb reduced); reduced pseudobulbs often concealed by longer, scarious, leafy bracts.

                     11 Plants with a single, solitary, thick (coriaceous) elliptic leaf (per stem, sometimes the singular leaves clustered on trunks); flowers with prominent blotches

                     11 Plants with multiple leaves per stem (2-6); leaves linear-lanceolate or oblong-elliptic; flowers without prominent blotches.

                       12 Inflorescence erect-arching, not strongly secund and not curved upward at apex; flowers lavender or violet to white with dark rose/purple veins extending to distal portions of lip; typically flowering from Mar-Apr, towards the end of the s. FL dry season; leaves 3-13 cm long

                       12 Inflorescence a strongly secund terminal panicle (a simple raceme in smaller plants), often curved upward apically; flowers yellow-pale green; typically flowering from Aug-Dec., towards the end of the wet season and beginning of the s. FL dry season; leaves 3.5-20 cm long

                   10 Pseudobulbs conspicuous or prominent, strongly to slightly compressed; ovoid, sub-orbicular, ellipsoid, or fusiform (bilaterally flattened).

                          13 Pseudobulbs (on mature plants) > 30 (-50) cm long

                          13 Pseudobulbs (on mature plants) < 30 cm long (typically < 15 cm long).

                            14 Inflorescence terminal (arising from the apex of the pseudobulb).

                              15 Capsules prominently 3-winged

                              15 Capsules not prominently 3-winged.

                                16 Pseudobulbs ovoid-pyriform; 1-3 linear-lanceolate leaves per stem

                                16 Pseudobulbs ovoid; 1 (rarely 2) oblong-ovate leaf per stem

                            14 Inflorescence basal (arising from the base of the pseudobulb).

                                  17 Inflorescence a spike with 12-28 sessile flowers

                                  17 Inflorescence a raceme or panicle, not a spike (flowers pedicellate).

                                    18 Inflorescence > 100 (-250) cm in length

                                    18 Inflorescence < 50 cm in length.

                                       19 Pseudobulb completely enveloped by 6-7 conduplicate distichous leaf sheaths; flowers borne singly on short pedicels arising from leaf axil, without brown blotches; flowers self-pollinating

                                       19 Pseudobulb not enveloped by leaves; pedicels originating from inflorescence; flowers yellow to white, with or without brownish blotches, not self-pollinating.

                                         20 Plants conspicuously rhizomatous; inflorescence < 1 cm long; pseudobulbs cylindric to ovoid

                                         20 Plants not rhizomatous; inflorescence > 1 cm in length; pseudobulbs cylindric or elliptic.

                                           21 Perianth segments long caudate; sepals 3-20 cm long

                                           21 Perianth segments not long caudate (instead, oblong-elliptic); sepals 2.2-12 cm long.

                                             22 Perianth segments white to cream-yellow colored with maroon stripes; pollinia not borne on long slender stipe

                                             22 Perianth segments cream colored to pale orange with condensed red-purple spots; pollinia borne on a long slender stipe

1 Leaves absent at flowering, or with a solitary leaf with a purplish undersurface withering at about the time of flowering.

  2 Flowers with a spur.

    3 Spur long and slender, lip not partially tubular nor bearded; widespread in our region, south in FL to ne. FL]

    3 Spur shortly obtuse or short-conic (usually somewhat rounded at the tip), lip partially tubular or conspicuously bearded

      4 Lip bearded, with evident fringed keels; [non-native of variously disturbed or cultivated habitats, occasionally occurring in pine rocklands]

      4 Lip not bearded, lacking keels entirely (sometimes with magenta coloring but these not raised); [native of rockland hammocks in s. FL]

  2 Flowers without a spur (the lip sometimes saccate but not extending further below as would a spur).

        5 Flowers white, the lip, sepals, and petals all predominantly white.

          6 Lip white with a single central green stripe; leaves often fugacious

          6 Lip white, centrally yellow to greenish-white, occasionally with multiple green veins (as in S. praecox and S. sylvatica); leaves present, absent, or withering (fugacious) at flowering

        5 Flowers pink, greenish, yellowish, or purplish, the lip sometimes white or marked with white, the sepals and petals colored.

             7 Lip strongly bearded.

               8 Flower solitary; [Mountains of SC, NC, and VA northwards]

               8 Flowers not solitary (inflorescence a raceme); [Coastal Plain of SC southwards]

             7 Lip not bearded.

                 9 Lip with 2 fleshy keels near the base; pollinia 4; plants holomycotrophic (without chlorophyll) and never with leaves

                 9 Lip with 3-7 keels near the base or extending most of the length of the lip; pollinia 4 or 8; plants either holomycotrophic (without chlorophyll) and never with leaves, or with a plicate winter leaf withering shortly before flowering.

                   10 Plants with a plicate winter leaf withering shortly before flowering (the withered remnant usually detectable); veins of the petals and sepals not strikingly different in color than the intervein areas; lip with 3 ridges; pollinia 4

                   10 Plants never with leaves, holomycotrophic (without chlorophyll); veins of the petals and sepals strikingly different in color than the intervein areas; lip with 5-7 ridges; pollinia 8

1 Leaves present at flowering (Cleistesiopsis with a foliaceous bract at the summit of the stem).

                     11 Plants with evident, above-ground pseudobulbs, sometimes enclosed by sheaths (these sometimes partially apparent in Malaxis, if so the leaves usually tightly clasping the stems).

                       12 Leaf bases tightly sheathing the stems, often petiolate.

                          13 Lip broadest near its base (proximal); flowers resupinate (for those species in our flora area; excluding M. spicata) inflorescence typically a spicate raceme (sometimes prematurely appearing apically umbellate in M. unifolia); leaves to 10 cm long

                          13 Lip broadest near its apex (distal); inflorescence typically a more open or lax raceme; leaves to 30 cm long.

                            14 Leaves 3-7, membranaceous, plicate; anthers green

                            14 Leaves 2, thickish, conduplicate; anthers yellow

                       12 Leaf bases not conspicuously clasping the stems (or if clasping, loosely so).

                              15 Flowers predominantly yellow, pseudobulbs > 8 (-100) cm long.

                                16 Flowers without brown spots; pseudobulbs typically 10-30 (-100) cm long

                                16 Flowers with brown spots; pseudobulbs typically 8-15 cm long

                              15 Flowers not predominantly yellow, pseudobulbs < 8 cm long.

                                  17 Leaves not plicate, with conspicuous dark green mottling

                                  17 Leaves plicate, without conspicuous dark green mottling.

                                    18 Lip conspicuously bearded or bearing bumpy projections

                                    18 Lip not conspicuously bearded, but sometimes with 3-7 distinct keels.

                                       19 Perianth primarily brown or green (white on the backs of the sepals and petals OR the lip greenish-white with brown lateral venation); lip tubular (Phaius) or not (Eulophia).

                                         20 Lip tubular, the backs of the perianth greenish-white

                                         20 Lip not tubular, the backs of the perianth white

                                       19 Perianth pink or purple; lip not tubular.

                                           21 Lip with 5-7 conspicuous yellow or white keels, the keels sometimes distally undulate.

                                             22 Inflorescence arising basally (directly from the pseudobulb and on separate stems from the leaf culms)

                                             22 Inflorescence arising terminally (with leaves below and on the same culm)

                                           21 Lip without 5-7 conspicuous yellow-white keels

                     11 Plants without above-ground pseudobulbs (either absent or subterranean).

                                               23 Leaf solitary.

                                                 24 Leaf basal.

                                                    25 Flower with a spur.

                                                      26 Leaf long petiolate, lanceolate-elliptic; lateral sepals conspicuously spreading with long acuminate apices; [s. FL]

                                                      26 Leaf not long petiolate, orbicular; lateral sepals reflexed or slightly spreading without long acuminate apices, rather, typically blunt or rounded; [widespread; NC and TN northward]

                                                    25 Flower without a spur.

                                                        27 Flower solitary

                                                        27 Flowers in a raceme or spike.

                                                          28 Flowers relatively large, primarily pink, purple, or white; flowers arranged in loosely arranged racemes

                                                            29 Lip below (resupinate); flowers white, often cleistogamous; lip white with purple margins, with keels

                                                            29 Lip above (not resupinate); flowers purple or pink (rarely white), chasmogomous; lip with yellow fringes (beard)

                                                          28 Flowers relatively small, whitish; flowers arranged in densely (and sometimes also spirally) arranged spikes.

                                                              30 Dorsal sepal connivent with petals forming hood over column; lip sagittate-auriculate

                                                              30 Dorsal sepals not forming connivent hood with petals, or if rarely so, then lip pandurate (as in S. romanzoffianum)

                                                 24 Leaf cauline.

                                                                 31 Flowers in spikes or racemes, 5-many, reddish, yellowish, or greenish.

                                                                 31 Flower solitary (-4), pink (rarely nearly white); [subfamily Vanilloideae; tribe Pogonieae].

                                                                   32 Sepals brown to purple, linear or narrowly oblanceolate, 3-6.5 cm long, about 5 mm wide; leaf coriaceous

                                                                   32 Sepals pink (rarely white), elliptic or oblanceolate, 1.3-2.7 cm long, 3-11 mm wide; leaf herbaceous

                                               23 Leaves 2-many.

                                                                     33 Lip inflated, pouch-like or slipper-like, 2-6 cm long

                                                                     33 Lip not inflated, or if so, then 0.3-1.1 cm long.

                                                                       34 Leaves cauline.

                                                                         35 Leaves plicate; lip saccate or arcuate

                                                                           36 Lip arcuate, with purple-brown marginal speckles; leaf sheaths inflated-tubular

                                                                           36 Lip saccate, without purple-brown marginal spots; leaf sheaths tight and not inflated-tubular.

                                                                              37 Leaves typically many (3-14); 4-20 cm long; lip variously colored without conspicuous yellow disc; [widespread]

                                                                              37 Leaves typically fewer (2-5); 4-4.5 cm long; lip primarily white with conspicuous yellow disc; [s. FL]

                                                                         35 Leaves smooth, often creased at the midrib, but not plicate; lip not saccate.

                                                                                38 Leaves whorled, terminating the stem; [subfamily Vanilloideae; tribe Pogonieae]

                                                                                38 Leaves alternate or opposite, not terminating the stem.

                                                                                  39 Leaves 2, opposite, near the middle of the stem

                                                                                  39 Leaves (2-) 3-many, alternate, variously distributed on the stem.

                                                                                    40 Plant with aerial roots throughout stem; lip orange-red, deeply 3 to 4 lobed and marginally fimbriate; [subfamily Epidendroideae]

                                                                                    40 Plant without aerial roots throughout stem; lip variously colored, if orange then not deeply 3 to 4 lobed.

                                                                                      41 Lip without a spur; leaves 0.8-8.0 cm long.

                                                                                        42 Distal portion of lip not uniformly yellow; leaves ovate, 0.4-2.0 cm long

                                                                                        42 Distal portion of lip uniformly yellow; leaves linear or narrowly lanceolate, 1-8 cm long

                                                                                      41 Lip with a spur; leaves linear, lanceolate, or narrowly elliptic, 5-40 cm long (at least the larger > 5 cm long, except in Aspidogyne, with lanceolate to ovate leaves 1.5-6.5 cm long).

                                                                                           43 Leaves 1.5-6.5 cm long, with inflated tubular sheaths; plants from creeping rhizomes

                                                                                           43 Leaves 5-40 cm long, sessile; plants from fleshy or fusiform roots.

                                                                                             44 Lip divided into 3 linear divisions, the divisions not further divided, fringed, or eroded

                                                                                             44 Lip not divided into 3 divisions, or divided into 3 divisions but the divisions not linear.

                                                                                               45 Spur saccate, 2-3 mm long, the orifice minute

                                                                                               45 Spur elongate and slender, 4-50 mm long, the orifice larger

                                                                       34 Leaves basal (sometimes with bladeless sheaths upward on the stem).

                                                                                                 46 Leaves plicate.

                                                                                                   47 Lip oriented upward (not resupinate); flowers pink to white

                                                                                                   47 Lip oriented downward (resupinate); flowers greenish, purplish-brown, maroon or yellowish.

                                                                                                     48 Sepals ascending or apically reflexed, not converging

                                                                                                     48 Sepals converging, not ascending or reflexed

                                                                                                 46 Leaves smooth, often creased at the midrib, but not plicate.

                                                                                                        49 Lip with a spur.

                                                                                                          50 Leaves long petiolate, not basally sheathing stems; sepals longer (to 30 mm), narrowly lanceolate

                                                                                                          50 Leaves not long petiolate, basally sheathing stems; sepals shorter, variously shaped

                                                                                                            51 Flowers bicolored, the lip white, the sepals and petals pink; leaves 2

                                                                                                            51 Flowers not bicolored, the lip, petals, and sepals similarly colored; leaves 2-5

                                                                                                              52 Lip deeply divided into 3 linear segments; leaves 3-5

                                                                                                              52 Lip entire; leaves 2

                                                                                                        49 Lip without a spur.

                                                                                                                53 Leaf blade or leaves ascending.

                                                                                                                  54 Inflorescence a raceme; lip with pink-purple coloration along margin; flowers larger, not tightly spiraling

                                                                                                                  54 Inflorescence a spike; lip without pink/purple coloration along margin; flowers smaller, often spiraling or tightly assembled

                                                                                                                53 Leaf blades more-or-less horizontally oriented, flat against the ground or 1-2 cm above it.

                                                                                                                     55 Flowers orange-red (except rarely light green as in S. lanceolata forma albidaviridis)

                                                                                                                     55 Flowers never strongly orange-red, instead white, yellowish, greenish, or brown (including coppery).

                                                                                                                       56 Lip oriented upward (flowers not resupinate).

                                                                                                                         57 Lip with green spots

                                                                                                                         57 Lip without green spots (sometimes with green coloration but not green-spotted).

                                                                                                                           58 Large flowers distinctly pedicellate on racemes; lip short-caudate, 4.5-7 mm long; petals obliquely triangular

                                                                                                                           58 Minute flowers sessile on spikes; lip apiculate, 1-2 mm long; petals narrowly obovate

                                                                                                                       56 Lip oriented downward (flowers resupinate).

                                                                                                                             59 Leaves with prominent white or pale green variegation on midrib and/or veins; [subtribe Goodyerinae]

                                                                                                                             59 Leaves without prominent variegation; [subtribe Spiranthinae].

                                                                                                                               60 Flowers brown or copper colored

                                                                                                                               60 Flowers white or green colored.

                                                                                                                                  61 Lip and perianth segments each with a single central green stripe; leaves more or less fugacious

                                                                                                                                  61 Lip and perianth without a central green stripe; occasionally with multiple green veins on the lip; leaf often persistent.

                                                                                                                                    62 Flowers white, often also marked or veined with yellow or green; [widespread in our region]

                                                                                                                                    62 Flowers green, greenish-yellow, or bronze; [FL southwards]

                                                                                                                                      63 Lip canaliculate (grooved longitudinally), without conspicuous yellow throat; flowers greenish-brown or coppery

                                                                                                                                      63 Lip not grooved longitudinally, with conspicuous yellow throat; flowers greenish-white