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• Malaxis bayardii

Malaxis bayardii — Bayard's adder's-mouth

Facts

Bayard's adder's-mouth is a restricted endemic of northern and central states of the east coast, including southern New Engand. It inhabits dry, sandy fields and heaths. A small, inconspicuous species, Bayard's adder's-mouth has tiny, green flowers held on a short, cylindrical spike.

Habitat

Anthropogenic (man-made or disturbed habitats), meadows and fields, shrublands or thickets, woodlands

Characteristics

• Flowers

  Flower bract length

  0.9–1.6 mm

  Flower petal color

  • green
  • yellow

  Flower symmetry

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

  Flowering date

  • August
  • July
  • June

  Flowers per inflorescence

  10–70

  Form of lower petal

  the labellum does not have a pouch-like shape

  Hairs on flower stalk

  the flower stalk has no hairs on it

  Hairs on inflorescence axis

  the main stem of the inflorescence is hairless

  Inflorescence length

  10–120 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

  3.4–5.8 mm

  Length of narrowed base of lower petal

  0 mm

  Lobes at base of lower petal

  0.8–1.1 mm

  Lower petal characteristics

  the labellum is lobed

  Lower petal length

  1.8–2.5 mm

  Lower petal outline

  the labellum is lobed but not fringed

  Lower petal strongly red-veined

  no

  Main color of lower petal

  • green to brown
  • 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 are angled steeply upwards
  • the lateral petals slant outward
  • the lateral petals slant somewhat downward

  Self-pollinating flowers

  there are no cleistogamous flowers on this plant

  Sepal length

  1.4–2 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

  Seed capsule orientation

  • the capsule bends downwards or hangs downwards
  • 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

• 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

  alternate: there is one leaf per node along the stem

  Leaf blade edges

  the edges of the leaf blade have no teeth

  Leaf blade length

  17–70 mm

  Leaf blade length to width ratio

  1.6–2.4

  Leaf blade shape

  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)

  Leaf blade width

  7–43 mm

  Leaves during flowering

  there are leaves on the plant when it is flowering

  Number of leaves on stem

  • one
  • two

• Place

  Habitat

  terrestrial

  New England state

  • Connecticut
  • Massachusetts
  • Rhode Island

  Specific habitat

  • man-made or disturbed habitats
  • meadows or fields
  • shrublands or thickets
  • woodlands

Wetland status

Not classified

New England distribution and conservation status

From the dichotomous key of Flora Novae Angliae