Coeloglossum viride — long-bracted green orchid
![Flowers: Coeloglossum viride. ~ By Frank Bramley. ~ Copyright © 2024 New England Wild Flower Society. ~ Image Request, images[at]newenglandwild.org](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com/taxon-images-1000s1000/Orchidaceae/coeloglossum-viride-virescens-fl-fbramley.jpg)
![Flowers: Coeloglossum viride. ~ By Gordon Morrison. ~ Copyright © 2024 New England Wild Flower Society. ~ Image Request, images[at]newenglandwild.org](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com/taxon-images-1000s1000/Orchidaceae/coeloglossum-viride-fl-gmorrison.jpg)
![Plant form: Coeloglossum viride. ~ By Lawrence Newcomb. ~ Copyright © 2024 New England Wild Flower Society. ~ Image Request, images[at]newenglandwild.org](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com/taxon-images-1000s1000/Orchidaceae/coeloglossum-viride-virescens-ha-lnewcomb.jpg)
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Facts
Long-bracted green orchid inhabits a range of mesic to wet-mesic habitats in all New England states. This is one of the most common orchids in terms of its worldwide distribution. The Ojibwa considered this plant a love charm, varieties of mischief ensuing.
Habitat
Anthropogenic (man-made or disturbed habitats), fens, forests, meadows and fields, swamps
New England distribution
Adapted from BONAP data
Native: indigenous.
Non-native: introduced (intentionally or unintentionally); has become naturalized.
County documented: documented to exist in the county by evidence (herbarium specimen, photograph). Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
State documented: documented to exist in the state, but not documented to a county within the state. Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
Note: when native and non-native populations both exist in a county, only native status is shown on the map.
Found this plant? Take a photo and post a sighting.
enlargeCharacteristics
- Habitat
-
- terrestrial
- wetlands
- New England state
-
- Connecticut
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- New Hampshire
- Rhode Island
- Vermont
- Leaf arrangement
- alternate: there is one leaf per node along the stem
- Number of leaves on stem
-
- five
- four
- three
- two
- Form of lower petal
- the labellum does not have a pouch-like shape
- Lower petal outline
- the labellum is lobed but not fringed
- Main color of lower petal
-
- blue to purple
- green to brown
- Nectar spur
- the flower has at least one nectar spur on it
- Inflorescence type
- the inflorescence is a raceme (a long unbranched stem with stalked flowers growing along it)
- Lower petal characteristics
-
- the labellum has spurs on it
- the labellum is lobed
- Lower petal length
- 3–10 mm
- Sepal length
- 3–8 mm
-
Flowers
- Flower petal color
- green
- Flower symmetry
- there is only one way to evenly divide the flower (the flower is bilaterally symmetrical)
- Flowering date
-
- August
- July
- June
- May
- September
- Flowers per inflorescence
- At least 5
- Form of lower petal
- the labellum does not have a pouch-like shape
- Hairs on inflorescence axis
- the main stem of the inflorescence is hairless
- Inflorescence length
- 50–200 mm
- Inflorescence type
- the inflorescence is a raceme (a long unbranched stem with stalked flowers growing along it)
- Labellum position
- the labellum is in the lower position on the flower
- Length of narrowed base of lower petal
- 0 mm
- Lobes at base of lower petal
- 0 mm
- Lower petal characteristics
-
- the labellum has spurs on it
- the labellum is lobed
- Lower petal length
- 3–10 mm
- Lower petal outline
- the labellum is lobed but not fringed
- Lower petal strongly red-veined
- no
- Main color of lower petal
-
- blue to purple
- green to brown
- Nectar spur
- the flower has at least one nectar spur on it
- Nectar spur length
- 2–3 mm
- Number of stamens
- 1
- Orientation of side petals
- the lateral petals are angled steeply upwards
- Self-pollinating flowers
- there are no cleistogamous flowers on this plant
- Sepal length
- 3–8 mm
- Spots on lower petal
- no
- Spur opening membrane
- the spur opening is at least partially covered with a membrane
-
Fruits or seeds
- Fruit length
- 7–14 mm
- Fruit width
- 4–5 mm
- Seed capsule orientation
- the capsule points upwards or is angled outwards
-
Growth form
- Plant green or not
- the plant is chlorophyllous (it has green parts)
- Roots
- the rhizomes do not resemble coral
- Underground organs
-
- the plant has one or more swollen storage organs underground, such as bulbs, tubers or corms
- there are only slender roots on the plant
-
Leaves
- Bract relative length
- the bract is longer than the associated flower
- Features of leaves
- the leaf does not have any of the mentioned special features
- Leaf arrangement
- alternate: there is one leaf per node along the stem
- Leaf blade edges
- the edges of the leaf blade have no teeth
- Leaf blade length
- 20–180 mm
- Leaf blade length to width ratio
- 2–2.6
- Leaf blade shape
-
- the leaf blade is lanceolate (lance-shaped; widest below the middle and tapering at both ends)
- the leaf blade is oblanceolate (lance-shaped, but with the widest point above the middle of the leaf blade)
- the leaf blade is obovate (egg-shaped, but with the widest point above the middle of the leaf blade)
- Leaf blade tip
-
- the tip of the leaf blade is acute (sharply pointed)
- the tip of the leaf blade is obtuse (bluntly pointed)
- Leaf blade width
- 10–70 mm
- Leaves during flowering
- there are leaves on the plant when it is flowering
- Number of bracts on stem
- 0
- Number of leaves on stem
-
- five
- four
- three
- two
-
Place
- Habitat
-
- terrestrial
- wetlands
- New England state
-
- Connecticut
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- New Hampshire
- Rhode Island
- Vermont
- Specific habitat
-
- fens
- forests
- man-made or disturbed habitats
- meadows or fields
- swamps
Wetland status
Occurs in wetlands or non-wetlands. (Wetland indicator code: FAC)
In New England
Distribution
- Connecticut
- present
- Maine
- present
- Massachusetts
- present
- New Hampshire
- present
- Rhode Island
- present
- Vermont
- present
Conservation status
Exact status definitions can vary from state to state. For details, please check with your state.
- Connecticut
- extremely rare (S-rank: S1), endangered (code: E)
- Massachusetts
- rare to uncommon (S-rank: S2S3)
- New Hampshire
- uncommon (S-rank: S3), W (code: W)
- Rhode Island
- state threatened (code: ST)
- Vermont
- uncommon (S-rank: S3)
var.virescens
- Connecticut
- extremely rare (S-rank: S1)
From Flora Novae Angliae dichotomous key
1. Coeloglossum viride (L.) Hartman N
long-bracted green orchid. Coeloglossum bracteatum (Muhl. ex Willd.) Parl.; C. viride (L.) Hartman var. virescens (Muhl. ex Willd.) Luer; Dactylorhiza viridis (L.) R.M. Bateman, Pridgeon, & M.W. Chase; Habenaria bracteata (Muhl. ex Willd.) R. Br. ex Ait. f.; H. viridis (L.) R. Br. var. bracteata (Muhl. ex Willd.) Reigenb. ex Gray • CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT. Mesic to wet-mesic deciduous and evergreen-deciduous forests, fens, swamps, meadows.
Native to North America?
Yes
Sometimes confused with
- Platanthera aquilonis:
- labellum unlobed and floral bracts not or only shortly surpassing the flowers (vs. C. viride, with the labellum three-lobed, with the middle lobe the shortest, and floral bracts conspicuously surpassing the flowers).
Synonyms
- Coeloglossum bracteatum (Muhl. ex Willd.) Parl.
- Coeloglossum viride (L.) Hartman var. virescens (Muhl. ex Willd.) Luer
- Dactylorhiza viridis (L.) R.M. Bateman
- Habenaria bracteata (Muhl. ex Willd.) R. Br. ex Ait. f.
- Habenaria viridis (L.) R. Br. var. bracteata (Muhl. ex Willd.) Reigenb. ex Gray