Listera convallarioides

Our state, the state of Washington, is believed to have 39 species and varieties of native orchids, some very rare. At the beginning of the summer there were two of them I had not seen, though not all of the others within the state. This rather unremarkable plant was one of the two I had not seen. It is the Broad-lipped Twayblade, Listera or Neottia convallarioides. I finally was able to see it in the area of Mount Rainier last week after making two trips to find it.

I had visited the area in previous years but had been too early and had not recognized it. The plants were six to eight inches tall and the flowers about three quarters of an inch. The genus name Neottia is its most recent classification, and the species name comes from the supposed resemblance of the leaves to those of the Convallaria plant (Lily-of-the-Valley). The plant is rather rare, though its range extends from Alaska to Newfoundland and from California to Michigan.

There is now only one native orchid I have not seen and we are going to look for it tomorrow along the Columbia River. We have several reported locations and though we have looked there previously, have better information this time. It is a natural hybrid, Spiranthes diluvialis, one of the Ladies'-tresses. It blooms at this time of the year and if we find it will have seen all of the state native orchids over a period of about 10 years.

nativeorchidsofthepacificnorthwest.blogspot.com/2010/11/broad-lipped-twayblade-listera.html