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• Goodyera
• Goodyera pubescens

Goodyera pubescens — downy rattlesnake-plantain

Facts

Downy rattlesnake-plantain, like other species in its genus (Goodyera) is evergreen. Thus, late fall and early spring are good times to search for it, when most other plants are dormant. Because of its attractive leaves, marked with a network of silvery veins, it is popular as a garden and terrarium plant. All parts of the plant are covered with very fine downy hair.

Habitat

Forests

Characteristics

• Flowers

  Flower petal color

  white

  Flower symmetry

  there is only one way to evenly divide the flower (the flower is bilaterally symmetrical)

  Flowering date

  • August
  • July
  • September

  Flowers per inflorescence

  10–57

  Form of lower petal

  the labellum has a pouch-like shape

  Hairs on flower stalk

  the flower stalk has at least some hairs with glands at their bases or tips

  Hairs on inflorescence axis

  at least some of the hairs on the main stem of the inflorescence have glands

  Inflorescence length

  40–100 mm

  Inflorescence type

  the inflorescence is a spike (a long unbranched stem with flowers along it that lack stalks)

  Labellum position

  the labellum is in the lower position on the flower

  Length of flower stalk

  0 mm

  Length of narrowed base of lower petal

  0 mm

  Length of peduncle

  110–350 mm

  Lobes at base of lower petal

  0 mm

  Lower petal characteristics

  the labellum is in the shape of a pouch

  Lower petal length

  2.5–4.2 mm

  Lower petal outline

  the labellum is simple in form

  Lower petal strongly red-veined

  no

  Main color of lower petal

  white

  Nectar spur

  there are no nectar spurs on the flower

  Nectar spur length

  0 mm

  Number of stamens

  1

  Orientation of side petals

  the lateral petals are angled steeply upwards

  Pollen sacs

  the pollinia remain intact and do not fragment into smaller parts

  Self-pollinating flowers

  there are no cleistogamous flowers on this plant

  Sepal length

  3.1–5.3 mm

  Sepals fused only to sepals

  the sepals are separate from one another

  Shape of viscidium

  the viscidium is roughly circular

  Spots on lower petal

  no

  Spur opening membrane

  NA

  Spur opening shape

  NA

• Fruits or seeds

  Seed capsule orientation

  the capsule points upwards or is angled outwards

• Growth form

  Plant green or not

  the plant is chlorophyllous (it has green parts)

  Roots

  the rhizomes do not resemble coral

  Underground organs

  • there are only slender roots on the plant
  • this plant has a rhizome (a horizontal underground stem with roots growing from it)

• Leaves

  Bract relative length

  the bract is shorter than the associated flower

  Features of leaves

  the leaf is roughly checkered with green and white markings

  Leaf arrangement

  the leaves are growing only at the base of the plant (basal)

  Leaf blade edges

  the edges of the leaf blade have no teeth

  Leaf blade length

  21–62 mm

  Leaf blade length to width ratio

  1.6–2.1

  Leaf blade shape

  • the leaf blade is elliptic (widest near the middle and tapering at both ends)
  • the leaf blade is ovate (widest below the middle and broadly tapering at both ends)

  Leaf blade tip

  • the tip of the leaf blade is acute (sharply pointed)
  • the tip of the leaf blade is obtuse (bluntly pointed)

  Leaf blade width

  13–30 mm

  Leaves during flowering

  there are leaves on the plant when it is flowering

  Number of bracts on stem

  4–14

  Number of leaves on stem

  absent

• Place

  Habitat

  terrestrial

  New England state

  • Connecticut
  • Maine
  • Massachusetts
  • New Hampshire
  • Rhode Island
  • Vermont

  Specific habitat

  forests

Wetland status

Usually occurs in non-wetlands, but occasionally in wetlands. (Wetland indicator code: FACU)

New England distribution and conservation status

From the dichotomous key of Flora Novae Angliae