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Orchidaceae
Tipularia

not marked as a favorite taxon Tipularia discolor (Pursh) Nuttall. Common name: Cranefly Orchid. Phenology: Jul-Sep; Aug-Nov (and persisting). Habitat: In a wide variety of mesic to rather dry forests. Distribution: Se. MA, s. NY, OH, IN, and s. MI south to n. peninsular FL and TX.

Glossary (beta!)

ID notes: Tipularia discolor is one of the commonest orchids in e. North America, a familiar and easy to identify species through the fall, winter, and spring by its ovate leaves with acute-acuminate apex, and solid purple (rarely brownish-purple or greenish-purple) leaf undersurface.

Origin/Endemic status: Native

Taxonomy Comments: Hughes et al. (2019, 2021) studied the anthocyanins and their distributions in the leaves, describing 4 types: solid green above and solid purple beneath, green with raised purple spots above and solid purple beneath, dark purple above and bright purple below, and brownish purple above and below.

Synonymy ⓘ: = Ar, C, ETx1, F, FNA26, G, Il, K4, Mi, Mo1, NE, NS, NY, Pa, POWO, RAB, Tat, Tn, Tx, Va, W, WH3, WV, Brown (2002), Correll (1950), Luer (1975); = Tipularia unifolia (Muhl.) Britton, Sterns, & Poggenb. — S, S13; Orchis discolor Pursh. Basionym: Orchis discolor Pursh 1814

Links to other floras: = Tipularia discolor - FNA26

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Wetland Indicator Status:

  • Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: FACU
  • Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: FACU
  • Great Plains: FAC
  • Midwest: FACU
  • Northcentral & Northeast: FACU

Heliophily ⓘ: 3

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image #1 of Tipularia discolor© Richard & Teresa Ware CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
image #2 of Tipularia discolor© Bruce A. Sorrie | Original Image ⭷
image #3 of Tipularia discolor© Sonnia Hill | Original Image ⭷
image #4 of Tipularia discolor© Floyd A. Griffith
image #5 of Tipularia discolor© Floyd A. Griffith
image #6 of Tipularia discolor© Scott Ward | Original Image ⭷
image #7 of Tipularia discolor© Scott Ward, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Scott Ward source CC-BY | Original Image ⭷
image #8 of Tipularia discolor© Richard & Teresa Ware CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
image #9 of Tipularia discolor© Scott Ward, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Scott Ward source CC-BY | Original Image ⭷
image #10 of Tipularia discolor© Joey Shaw source
image #11 of Tipularia discolor© Gary P. Fleming | Original Image ⭷

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Horticultural Information

NCBG trait

Intro: Erect perennial found in moist to fairly dry forests.

Stems: Stem consists of a bronze-purple, smooth, naked flowering scape arising from a corm after leaves have withered.

Leaves: Leaves (2-5) in a basal cluster, arising in winter without the flowering stalk; oval-elliptic, to 4 in. long, lightly pleated, dull green with purple bumps above and glossy purple beneath.

Inforescence:

Flowers: Flowers 20-40 on an elongated raceme terminating the scape, greenish-yellow to bronze or purple, about 1 in. long and drooping, bilaterally symmetric, consisting of 5 oblong-oval sepals and an ornate fused-petal structure with a 3-lobed lower lip and nectar spur.

Fruits: Fruit an oval capsule held closely parallel to the scape.

Comments: Pollinated by nocturnal moths, the flower is reminiscent of a cranefly. Like all orchids, it needs fungal (mycorrhizal) associates to germinate and grow--apparently those found in rotting wood.

Height: 4-20 in.

plant sale text:

bloom table text:

description: Erect perennial found in moist to fairly dry forests.

stems: Stem consists of a bronze-purple, smooth, naked flowering scape arising from a corm after leaves have withered.

leaves: Leaves (2-5) in a basal cluster, arising in winter without the flowering stalk; oval-elliptic, to 4 in. long, lightly pleated, dull green with purple bumps above and glossy purple beneath.

inflorescence:

flowers: Flowers 20-40 on an elongated raceme terminating the scape, greenish-yellow to bronze or purple, about 1 in. long and drooping, bilaterally symmetric, consisting of 5 oblong-oval sepals and an ornate fused-petal structure with a 3-lobed lower lip and nectar spur.

fruits: Fruit an oval capsule held closely parallel to the scape.

comments: Pollinated by nocturnal moths, the flower is reminiscent of a cranefly. Like all orchids, it needs fungal (mycorrhizal) associates to germinate and grow--apparently those found in rotting wood.

cultural notes:

germination code:

native range: eastern United States



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