In article ,
[wtw] wrote...
On the Niagara Escarpment in Ontario, Canada, I've found a flower I
can't ID. It is in some ways reminiscent of a lady's slipper. The
leaves are the same size and shape, alternate with numerous creases
and climbing up the round hairy stem for about eight inches. Above
that is a spike of 12 or 16 small drooping, greenish-white flowers.
Subtly beautiful. Each bloom itself has the lady's slipper shape --
with a pouch bottom that is blackish-purple inside, and a smaller
overhanging part, with subtle coloured markings, a little green, a
little bit of brown. This part of the bloom is less than an inch long.
There are also two other spade-shaped petals that are white with a
pale green creases and are kind of peering over the shoulders of the
lady-slipper part. The flower looks quite delicate but is, in fact,
kind of waxy and somewhat stiff. Beneath the bottom pouch is a dark
green seedy-looking bulge. Surrounding the flower, there are three
waxy spade-shaped sepals that look very much like the white petals,
only a dark green colour, and that together with the two white petals
provide a kind of cowl around the lady's slipper type bloom. Beneath
the sepals, a three-sided, darker green, creased sac connects to the
stem.
It seems an extraordinarily complex flower. It is growing in a rocky
knoll (dolomite and limestone), in leaf litter collected in a crevice.
It was a shady location with wild raspberries, wild gooseberries and
white birch growing nearby. The whole region is known for its wild
orchids, and I?m wondering if this might be one.
Any suggestions?
No doubt it's an orchid, as of course are lady's slippers
[genus Cypripedium].
A quick search finds:
http://www.ojibway.ca/orchids.htm
http://www.ontariowildflower.com/plant_list.htm
http://www.ontariowildflower.com/pin...m#alaskaorchid
http://www.ontariowildflower.com/dec...tm#helleborine
http://www.ontariowildflower.com/lak...m#orchidragged
http://www.ontariowildflower.com/lak...m#orchidpurple
http://www.ontariowildflower.com/eab...tm#greenorchid
From your description, the "Epipactus [sic] helleborine" listed
above may come closest.
more images of Epipactis and other orchids:
http://www.osrbg.ca/files/EPI_HEL.HTM
http://pharm1.pharmazie.uni-greifswa...y/gal-orch.htm
[with several further links to E. helleborine images]
http://www.csdl.tamu.edu/FLORA/imaxxorc.htm
http://caliban.mpiz-koeln.mpg.de/~st..._158_small.jpg
The search also found:
http://www.nativeplants.on.ca/links/index.htm
http://www.osrbg.ca/orchid_native.html
which lists many more species of Canadian native orchids,
with links to many illustrated species descriptions:
http://www.osrbg.ca/files/PIP_UNA.HTM
http://www.osrbg.ca/files/PLA_ORB.HTM
http://www.rbg.ca/rare/epo_iver.htm
http://www.orchidwire.com/Wild/1/NORTH_AMERICA.html
http://los.lon.imag.net/lossrce.asp
http://www.newnorth.net/~mruh/webquest.html
"Native Orchids of North America" [too many outdated links?]
Other search hits included this reference:
Orchids of Ontario; R.E. Whiting & P.M. Catling; CanaColl Foundation 1986.
Hope this helps.
cheers