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• Liparis loeselii

Liparis loeselii — Loesel's wide-lipped orchid

Facts

Loesel's wide-lipped orchid has a wide distribution in North America, Europe and Asia, but is apparently uncommon to rare in most of its range. It is found in moist to wet open soils in meadows, fens, shorelines and disturbed areas. Hydrology may be the most inportant factor in limiting growth and reproduction in this species.

Habitat

Anthropogenic (man-made or disturbed habitats), fens (calcium-rich wetlands), lacustrine (in lakes or ponds), meadows and fields, shores of rivers or lakes

Characteristics

• Flowers

  Flower petal color

  • green
  • yellow

  Flower symmetry

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

  Flowering date

  • July
  • June

  Flowers per inflorescence

  2–15

  Form of lower petal

  the labellum does not have a pouch-like shape

  Hairs on inflorescence axis

  the main stem of the inflorescence is hairless

  Inflorescence length

  20–100 mm

  Inflorescence type

  the inflorescence is a raceme (a long unbranched stem with stalked flowers growing along it)

  Labellum position

  the labellum is in the lower position on the flower

  Length of flower stalk

  3–5 mm

  Length of peduncle

  60–250 mm

  Lower petal characteristics

  the labellum is simple in form

  Lower petal length

  4–5.5 mm

  Lower petal outline

  the labellum is simple in form

  Lower petal strongly red-veined

  no

  Main color of lower petal

  • green to brown
  • white
  • yellow

  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 slant somewhat downward

  Self-pollinating flowers

  there are no cleistogamous flowers on this plant

  Sepal length

  4.5–6 mm

  Sepals fused only to sepals

  the sepals are separate from one another

  Spots on lower petal

  no

  Spur opening membrane

  NA

  Spur opening shape

  NA

• Fruits or seeds

  Fruit length

  9–13 mm

  Fruit width

  3–6 mm

  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

  • the plant has one or more swollen storage organs underground, such as bulbs, tubers or corms
  • 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 does not have any of the mentioned special features

  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

  37–180 mm

  Leaf blade length to width ratio

  3.7–4.5

  Leaf blade shape

  • the leaf blade is elliptic (widest near the middle and tapering at both ends)
  • the leaf blade is lanceolate (lance-shaped; widest below the middle and tapering at both ends)
  • the leaf blade is oblong (rectangular but with rounded 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

  10–40 mm

  Leaves during flowering

  there are leaves on the plant when it is flowering

  Number of bracts on stem

  0

  Number of leaves on stem

  absent

• Place

  Habitat

  • terrestrial
  • wetlands

  New England state

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

  Specific habitat

  • fens (calcium-rich wetlands)
  • in lakes or ponds
  • man-made or disturbed habitats
  • meadows or fields
  • shores of rivers or lakes

Wetland status

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

New England distribution and conservation status

From the dichotomous key of Flora Novae Angliae