Click the number at the start of a key lead to highlight both that lead and its corresponding lead. Click again to show only the two highlighted leads. Click a third time to return to the full key with the selected leads still highlighted.
1 Rachis of inflorescence with all hairs not glandular, tapering to a pointed tip; flowering Mar-Sep |
1 Rachis of inflorescence either glabrous or with some or all hairs gland-tipped (capitate or clavate). |
..2 Lip pandurate (fiddle-shaped), subapical constriction deep, apex broadly dilated; dorsal petals and lateral sepals forming a conspicuous connivent 'hood'; [NY, PA, OH, IN, and IL northwards] |
..2 Lip sometimes constricted, but not pandurate; dorsal petals and lateral sepals not forming a connivent 'hood'; [collectively widespread] |
....3 Viscidium ovoid; column white; lip bright yellow or orange-yellow, with greenish veins; sepals and petals pure white; flowering May-Jul |
....3 Viscidium linear; column green; lip either white, or lip yellowish and lacking greenish veins; sepals and petals creamy, ivory, yellow, or greenish; collectively flowering Jan-Dec. |
......4 Lip centrally green or white with green veins. |
........5 Lip not papillate on the upper surface near the middle. |
..........6 Flowers 5-9 mm long, white, with green venation on adaxial surface of the lip only; primarily of pine flatwoods and savannas |
..........6 Flowers 8-17 mm long, creamy green, with green venation on the adaxial surface of all perianth segments; primarily of mixed hardwood-pine forests |
........5 Lip papillate on the upper surface near the middle. |
............ 7 Flowers fragrant; flowering late Oct-early Feb (-May); [of FL] |
............ 7 Flowers not fragrant; flowering Feb-Sep; [collectively widespread in our area]. |
............ ..8 Lateral sepals slightly downwardly falcate, oblique; [of FL] |
............ ..8 Lateral sepals held perpendicular to the stem, not oblique; [collectively widespread in our area]. |
............ ....9 Leaves oblanceolate, withering at anthesis; lateral sepals spatulate, green at base; flowering Feb-May |
............ ....9 Leaves ovate to obovate or elliptic, spreading, present or absent at anthesis; lateral sepals acuminate, white throughout; flowering Jul-Sep. |
............ ......10 Flowers densely arranged on the spike (ratio of spike length in mm: flower number < 2.3); entire plant essentially glabrous; leaves usually absent at anthesis; flowering later, mostly Aug-Sep |
............ ......10 Flowers laxly arranged on spike (ratio of spike length in mm: flower number ≥ 2.3); inflorescence capitate-pubescent; leaves usually persisting through anthesis; flowering earlier, mostly Jul |
......4 Lip centrally yellow, cream, or entirely white. |
............ ........11 Flowers < 4.5 mm long; rachis glabrous; flowers gaping from near middle, the tubular portion < 3 mm long; lip pure white; flowering Jun-Sep |
............ ........11 Flowers > 5.0 mm long; rachis glabrous or pubescent; flowers gaping only from beyond the middle, the tubular portion > 3 mm long; lip white, creamy, or yellow. |
............ ..........12 Lip papillate on the upper surface near the middle. |
............ ............ 13 Leaves basal, ovate. |
............ ............ ..14 Inflorescence densely pubescent |
............ ............ ..14 Inflorescence glabrous |
............ ............ 13 Leaves upright, linear-lanceolate (or fugacious). |
............ ............ ....15 Callosities highly reduced, appearing as rounded mounds |
............ ............ ....15 Callosities not reduced, conical and upright. |
............ ............ ......16 Lip centrally white or very pale yellow; [of Interior Highlands of AR and OK and Coastal Plain of AR] |
............ ............ ......16 Lip centrally yellow (or greenish); [of FL] |
............ ..........12 Lip lacking papillae on the upper surface near the middle. |
............ ............ ........17 Lateral sepals cupped (concave). |
............ ............ ..........18 Lip centrally white. |
............ ............ ............ 19 Rostellum and viscidium absent; sepals 3.5-5 mm long |
............ ............ ............ 19 Rostellum and viscidium present; sepals 4-6.1 mm long |
............ ............ ..........18 Lip centrally yellowish. |
............ ............ ............ ..20 Dorsal sepal and petals barely recurved; [of PA northwards] |
............ ............ ............ ..20 Dorsal sepal and petals recurved; [of Coastal Plain] |
............ ............ ........17 Lateral sepals flat (not concave). |
............ ............ ............ ....21 Lip margin undulate. |
............ ............ ............ ......22 Flowers fragrant. |
............ ............ ............ ........23 Callosities reduced and mounded, 0.2-0.6 mm long; leaves usually absent at flowering |
............ ............ ............ ........23 Callosities pronounced, incurved or conical, 1-2.5 mm long; leaves present at flowering |
............ ............ ............ ......22 Flowers lacking fragrance. |
............ ............ ............ ..........24 Lateral sepals not oblique, held near the flower; flowering Aug-mid-Sep |
............ ............ ............ ..........24 Lateral sepals widely oblique; flowering Oct-Dec |
............ ............ ............ ....21 Lip margin crisped and lacerate. |
............ ............ ............ ............ 25 Lateral sepals downwardly falcate, apices pointing toward the labellum apex |
............ ............ ............ ............ 25 Lateral sepals sweeping upward, apices pointing toward dorsal sepal and petals. |
............ ............ ............ ............ ..26 Lip yellow on its lower surface; glands on the lower lip surface rounded. |
............ ............ ............ ............ ....27 Lateral sepals straight and typically curving apically over the petals; flowers typically nodding |
............ ............ ............ ............ ....27 Lateral sepals straight to somewhat falcate, not typically curving apically; flowers spreading or slightly ascending. |
............ ............ ............ ............ ......28 Lateral sepal apices bluntly acuminate, 7.7-10.2 mm long |
............ ............ ............ ............ ......28 Lateral sepal apices linear-lanceolate, (6-)10-11(-14) mm long |
............ ............ ............ ............ ..26 Lip white or very pale yellow on its lower surface; glands on the lower lip surface conical and reduced. |
............ ............ ............ ............ ........29 Lip centrally yellowish (sometimes faintly); lateral sepals linear-lanceolate; flowers frequently ascending; flowers occasionally peloric or cleistogamous; [north of the Ohio River] |
............ ............ ............ ............ ........29 Lip white; lateral sepals lanceolate; flowers frequently nodding; flowers rarely peloric or cleistogamous; [mostly south of the Ohio River] |
............ ............ ............ ............ ..........30 Roots stoloniferous; leaves linear-lanceolate, 15-21.4 cm long × 1.4-1.7 cm wide; flowers fragrant (general 'floral' to vanilla-jasmine); [Long Island (NY) south to VA Eastern Shore] |
............ ............ ............ ............ ..........30 Roots non-stoloniferous; leaves lanceolate, 8.7-20 cm long × 0.4-1.1 cm wide; flowers typically not fragrant; [widespread in our region] |