Galearis spectabilis — showy orchid
![Leaves: Galearis spectabilis. ~ 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/galearis-spectabilis-le-fbramley.jpg)
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Facts
Showy orchid is found in rich, calcareous forests in all New England states, but is rare in several. This is a low-growing but spectacular orchid, with a pair of broadly ovate basal leaves and showy rose-purple petals.
Habitat
Forests
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
- New England state
-
- Connecticut
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- New Hampshire
- Rhode Island
- Vermont
- Leaf arrangement
- basal: the leaves are growing only at the base of the plant
- Number of leaves on stem
- absent
- Form of lower petal
- the labellum does not have a pouch-like shape
- Lower petal outline
- the labellum is simple in form
- Main color of lower petal
-
- pink to red
- white
- 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 simple in form
- Lower petal length
- 10–18 mm
- Sepal length
- 10–20 mm
-
Flowers
- Flower bract length
- 15–80 mm
- Flower petal color
-
- pink
- white
- Flower symmetry
- there is only one way to evenly divide the flower (the flower is bilaterally symmetrical)
- Flowering date
-
- June
- May
- Flowers per inflorescence
- 2–15
- 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
- 50–100 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 flower stalk
- 0 mm
- Length of narrowed base of lower petal
- 0 mm
- Length of peduncle
- 100–200 mm
- Lobes at base of lower petal
- 0 mm
- Lower petal characteristics
-
- the labellum has spurs on it
- the labellum is simple in form
- Lower petal length
- 10–18 mm
- Lower petal outline
- the labellum is simple in form
- Lower petal strongly red-veined
- no
- Main color of lower petal
-
- pink to red
- white
- Nectar spur
- the flower has at least one nectar spur on it
- Nectar spur length
- 9–20 mm
- Number of stamens
- 1
- Orientation of side petals
- the lateral petals are angled steeply upwards
- Sepal length
- 10–20 mm
- Sepals fused only to sepals
- the sepals are separate from one another
- Spots on lower petal
- no
- Spur opening membrane
- there is no membrane over the spur opening
-
Fruits or seeds
- 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
-
- there are only slender roots on the plant
- this plant has a rhizome (a horizontal underground stem with roots growing from it)
-
Leaves
- Bract relative length
-
- the bract is longer than the associated flower
- the bract is shorter than the associated flower
- Features of leaves
- the leaf does not have any of the mentioned special features
- Leaf arrangement
- basal: the leaves are growing only at the base of the plant
- Leaf blade edges
- the edges of the leaf blade have no teeth
- Leaf blade length
- 90–200 mm
- Leaf blade length to width ratio
- 2–4.5
- Leaf blade shape
-
- the leaf blade is elliptic (widest near the middle and tapering at both ends)
- the leaf blade is lanceolate (lance-shaped; widest below the middle and tapering at both ends)
- the leaf blade is obovate (egg-shaped, but with the widest point above the middle of the leaf blade)
- the leaf blade is orbicular (roughly circular, as wide as long)
- the leaf blade is ovate (widest below the middle and broadly tapering at both ends)
- Leaf blade tip
- the tip of the leaf blade is obtuse (bluntly pointed)
- Leaf blade width
- 20–100 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
- absent
-
Place
- Habitat
- terrestrial
- New England state
-
- Connecticut
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- New Hampshire
- Rhode Island
- Vermont
- Specific habitat
- forests
Wetland status
Not classified
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
- uncommon (S-rank: S3)
- Maine
- extremely rare (S-rank: S1), endangered (code: E)
- Massachusetts
- rare to uncommon (S-rank: S2S3)
- New Hampshire
- rare (S-rank: S2), threatened (code: T)
- Rhode Island
- historical (S-rank: SH), state historical (code: SH)
From Flora Novae Angliae dichotomous key
1. Galearis spectabilis (L.) Raf. N
showy orchid. Orchis spectabilis L. • CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT. Rich, usually deciduous, forests, often in areas influenced by high-pH bedrock or colluvial deposits.