Question: I know I'm cheating: this orchid grows in the shallows of Fishtrap Lake in Phyllis, KY - the eastern, mountainous …
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Question
I know I'm cheating: this orchid grows in the shallows of Fishtrap Lake in Phyllis, KY - the eastern, mountainous part of the state. I am quite sure it is a twayblade (opposite leaves) but don't find it in Petersons.
Answer
Dear David, your plant is not an orchid (even though the flower look similar in some regards). It is Justicia americana (American water-willow), a member of the Acanthaceae. This is a rare species in the northeastern United States.
