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• Triphora trianthophora

Triphora trianthophora — three-birds orchid

Facts

Three-birds orchid is threatened in New England, and rare or threatened throughout much of its range in North America. It typically occurs in moist beech (Fagus grandifolia) forests, in hollows with deep leaf litter and in the absence of competing herbaceous plants. It is thought to be semi-saprophytic (dependant on decaying organic matter for carbon and nutrients). It flowers sporadically and may persist as subterranean tuberoids for long periods, complicating census and conservation efforts.

Habitat

Forests

Characteristics

• Flowers

  Flower petal color

  • pink
  • white

  Flower symmetry

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

  Flowering date

  • August
  • September

  Flowers per inflorescence

  1–20

  Form of lower petal

  the labellum does not have a pouch-like shape

  Hairs on inflorescence axis

  • NA
  • the main stem of the inflorescence is hairless

  Inflorescence type

  • the inflorescence has only one flower or a pair of flowers on it
  • 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

  Lobes at base of lower petal

  0 mm

  Lower petal characteristics

  the labellum is lobed

  Lower petal length

  8–20 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
  • pink to red
  • 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

  Self-pollinating flowers

  there are no cleistogamous flowers on this plant

  Sepal length

  11–15 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

  10–15 mm

  Fruit width

  5–10 mm

  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

  6–20 mm

  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 acuminate (tapers to a long, thin point)
  • the tip of the leaf blade is acute (sharply pointed)
  • the tip of the leaf blade is obtuse (bluntly pointed)

  Leaves during flowering

  there are leaves on the plant when it is flowering

  Number of bracts on stem

  0

  Number of leaves on stem

  • five
  • four
  • six or more
  • three
  • two

• Place

  Habitat

  terrestrial

  New England state

  • Connecticut
  • Maine
  • Massachusetts
  • New Hampshire
  • 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