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Spreading Rosebud Orchid

Photo by KenMays
Published on Project Noah
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26.1709, -80.1244

Field Notes

Description:

This plant turned up out of nowhere in my flower bed. It appears to be a bulb of some sort with only a tall spike with tiny orchid-like flowers. The flowers are literally less than a half inch in size and have a tongue that is white with a pink center. There are tiny fingers sticking off of the tongue.

Species ID Suggestions

Comments (10)
KenMays
Wow I'm so excited to see what happens with it next! Thanks for all the great info.
ceherzog
Often terrestrial orchids that have bulbs lose all their leaves (or above ground foliage), then send up a bloom spike that is leafless. Keep an eye on the plant...it will likely produce leaves after flowering. Let me know if you see stems with leaves later this year. Good luck, it's a great native orchid and you're lucky to have it in your yard.
KenMays
Thank you the flower looks almost identical but the one thing that throws me off is that every description of that orchid always states that there is a leaf but I can't find anything but flower buds on the stem. Would that be enough to rule it out? I never would have believed it was an orchid until you pointed it out so thank you!
ceherzog
I'm thinking Cliestes divaricata, the Spreading Rosebud Orchid. It's a terrestrial orchid native to Florida. These flowers are quite variable in color.
KenMays
actually I shouldn't have been lazy and just looked! The option to add additional photos is in the edit spotting window on the mobile app.
peter
We're definitely want to give everyone the ability to add multiple photos to a spotting on our mobile apps. However this feature is only available on the web for now. Sorry for not clarifying.
KenMays
Thanks Peter! I haven't checked yet, but is this option also available in the mobile app? I'm using Android.
peter
Click "Edit this spotting" on the top right corner. Then click on "Add another photo to this spotting"
KenMays
I have more pictures but can't figure out how to add an additional picture to this spotting.
ceherzog
I'm pretty sure that's an orchid...can you get a closer picture of the flower?
Photographed
PublishedApril 7, 2011

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