Whorled Pogonia

(Isotria verticillata)

 

   

 

Line Drawing: Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913. An Illustrated Flora of the Northern United States and Canada, Second Edition.

 

Whorled Pogonia (Isotria verticillata Raf.)

Identification: Flower yellow-green, tubular. Corolla bracketed by two lower and one upper elongate, curled "petals" (actually sepals). Sepals extremely long, tinged with red-brown, far exceeding the length of the corolla. Flower solitary at the top of the plant. Leaves in a single whorl of 5 or 6 around the stem just below the apical flower. Plant 6 to 12 inches in height.

Distribution: Wisconsin in the west to New England in the east, southward to Florida and Texas.

Habitat: Whorled Pogonia is found in wet, acid woods and thickets.

Flowering period: May to June.

Similar Species: The related Small Whorled Pogonia has the 3 sepals much shorter, approximately equal in length to the flower corolla.

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