Isotria
Med. Repos., hexade 2, 5: 357. 1808.
| Taxon | Illustrator ⠉ | |
|---|---|---|
 | Isotria verticillata Pogonia ophioglossoides Goodyera oblongifolia Goodyera repens | Barbara Alongi Barbara Alongi Barbara Alongi Barbara Alongi |
Herbs, perennial, terrestrial, winter dormant. Roots long, slender, hairy with mycorrhizae. Stems simple, hollow, fleshy, smooth, glaucous. Leaves (2–) 5 (–6), appearing whorled. Inflorescences terminal; bracts absent. Flowers 1–2, resupinate, erect, yellowish green to white, yellow, and purple, subsessile to pedicellate; sepals of same color, linear-oblanceolate to lanceolate, of equal size; petals oblanceolate, elliptic-obovate, or elliptic-lanceolate, enclosing column; lip apically 3-lobed, lateral lobes triangular, margins involute; callus forming fleshy medial crest; column white, apex denticulate; anther operculate; pollinia 2, hinged, soft, mealy; rostellum obscure; pollen in tetrads, granular; ovary green, slender. Fruits capsules, commonly persistent through following growing season, erect, ellipsoid-cylindric, dehiscent in fall. Seeds 1.2 × 0.2 mm. x = 9.
Distribution
e North America
Discussion
Species 2 (2 in the flora).
Selected References
None.
Lower Taxa
Key
| 1 | Sepals green to light green, less than 30 mm; lip light yellowish green to pale greenish white, streaked with green; pedicel of mature capsule 5–17(–20) mm; stem and leaves pale grayish green. | Isotria medeoloides |
| 1 | Sepals purplish brown, greater than 30 mm; lip yellowish green to white, streaked with purple; pedicel of mature capsule 20–55 mm; stem purplish to brownish green; leaves green to dark green. | Isotria verticillata |