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Putty root orchid

Aplectrum hyemale

Photo by MOwendy
Published on Project Noah
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39.1187, -92.4342

Field Notes

Description:

Leaves slightly smaller than my hand. The only green thing around in mid-February, so it really stood out on the hillside. This is probably easy to identify for someone familiar with it. I don't have any good resources to search based on leaf configuration only, but I might not be able to find it again later in the year.

Habitat:

disturbed hillside

Notes:

Look for flower stalk late May or early June

Species ID Suggestions

Putty root orchid

Aplectrum hyemale

Reference Link
drP
2

Comments (4)
MOwendy
Hope - me either! They looked practically fake sticking out of all the brown. It didn't help that they felt almost plastic-like to the touch as well. I had to check for roots to confirm it really was something growing. I hope we can find it when it flowers.
MOwendy
Thank you so much drP! We look forward to searching for the flowering stalk in a couple months.
drP
You're right that you won't find this leaf later in the year. Like the cranefly orchid, the leaf wilts and is later replaced by a single flowering stalk.

Spotted for Missions

Mission
Missouri Plants
Mission
Backyards of Central Missouri
Photographed
PublishedMarch 25, 2013

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