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- All other flowering non-woody plants
- All other herbaceous, flowering dicots
- Mitella diphylla
Mitella diphylla — two-leaf mitrewort, two-leaved bishop's-cap
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Facts
Two-leaved bishop's-cap is a lovely little wildflower of rich deciduous woodlands, with dainty fringed flower petals. The flowers develop into unusual cup-like fruits with tiny black seeds nestled inside. The Menominee considered these seeds to have sacred properties, and used them in their medicine dance.
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.
Characteristics
- Habitat
- terrestrial
- New England state
-
- Connecticut
- Massachusetts
- New Hampshire
- Vermont
- Flower petal color
- white
- Leaf type
- the leaves are simple (i.e., lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets)
- Leaf arrangement
- opposite: there are two leaves per node along the stem
- Leaf blade edges
- the edge of the leaf blade has lobes, or it has both teeth and lobes
- Flower symmetry
- there are two or more ways to evenly divide the flower (the flower is radially symmetrical)
- Number of sepals, petals or tepals
- there are five petals, sepals, or tepals in the flower
- Fusion of sepals and petals
- both the petals and sepals are separate and not fused
- Stamen number
- 10
- Fruit type (general)
- the fruit is dry and splits open when ripe
- Fruit length
- 2.5–3 mm
-
Clonal plantlets
- Bulbils
- the plant does not appear to have bulbils
- Bulblets replace flowers
- there are no bulblets where the flowers are located
-
Flowers
- Anther length
- 0.1–0.2 mm
- Anther opening
- the anthers have narrow slits or furrows that run lengthwise along the anthers
- Anther spurs
- the anthers do not have spurs on them
- Calyx symmetry
- there are two or more ways to evenly divide the calyx (the calyx is radially symmetrical)
- Carpels fused
- the carpels are fused to one another
- Cleistogamous flowers
- there are no cleistogamous flowers on the plan
- Corolla morphology
- NA
- Corolla palate
- no
- Corona lobe length
- 0 mm
- Epicalyx
- the flower does not have an epicalyx
- Epicalyx number of parts
- 0
- Filament length
- 0.2–0.3 mm
- Filament surface
- the filament is smooth, with no hairs or scales
- Flower appearance
- the flowers appear after the leaves have appeared
- Flower description
- the flower has a superior ovary and a hypanthium
- Flower number
- 5–27
- Flower petal color
- white
- Flower reproductive parts
- the flower has both pollen- and seed-producing parts
- Flower symmetry
- there are two or more ways to evenly divide the flower (the flower is radially symmetrical)
- Flowers sunken into stem
- no
- Form of style
- the flower has two or more completely separate styles
- Fringed petal edges
- the petals are fringed
- Fused stamen clusters
- NA
- Fusion of sepals and petals
- both the petals and sepals are separate and not fused
- Hairs on flower stalk
- the flower stalk has hairs on it
- Hairs on inflorescence
- at least some of the hairs on the axis of the inflorescence have glands
- Horns in hoods (Asclepias)
- NA
- Hypanthium
- the flower has a hypanthium
- Hypanthium length
- 1–1.6 mm
- Inflorescence length
- 50–150 mm
- Inflorescence one-sided
- the flowers are arrayed in a spiral around the inflorescence axis or branches, or occur singly, or in several ranks
- Inner tepals (Rumex)
- NA
- Length of flower stalk
- 1–3 mm
- Marks on petals
- there are no noticeable marks on the petals
- Nectar spur
- the flower has no nectar spurs
- Number of branches in umbel
- 0
- Number of carpels
- 2
- Number of pistils
- 1
- Number of sepals, petals or tepals
- there are five petals, sepals, or tepals in the flower
- Number of styles
- 2
- Ovary position
- the ovary is above the point of petal and/or sepal attachment
- Petal and sepal arrangement
- the flower includes two cycles of petal- or sepal-like structures
- Petal and sepal colors
- white
- Petal appearance
- the petals are thin and delicate, and pigmented (colored other than green or brown)
- Petal base
- the petal narrows gradually or does not narrow at the base
- Petal folding in bud
- the petals in bud are arranged in a cycle with edges overlapping like roof shingles (imbricate)
- Petal folds or pleats
- the petals of the flower do not have folds or plaits
- Petal hairs (Viola)
- NA
- Petal length
- 2–4 mm
- Petal length relative to sepals
- the petals are longer than the sepals
- Petal number
- 5
- Petal tip shape
- the petal tip is lobed or fringed
- Petal tips (Cuscuta)
- NA
- Raceme attachment (Veronica)
- NA
- Reproductive system
- all the flowers have both carpels and stamens (synoecious)
- Scales inside corolla
- no
- Sepal and petal color
- the sepals are different from the petals
- Sepal appendages
- the sepals do not have appendages on them
- Sepal appendages (Oenothera)
- NA
- Sepal color
-
- green to brown
- white
- yellow
- Sepal length
- 1–1.3 mm
- Sepal number
- 5
- Sepal orientation
- the sepals are slightly curved outwards from the corolla
- Sepal shape
- the sepal outline is roughly triangular
- Sepals fused only to sepals
- the sepals are separate from one another
- Stamen attachment
- the stamens are attached at or near the bases of the petals or tepals
- Stamen lengths differ
- the stamens are all approximately the same length
- Stamen morphology
- the stamens within each cycle are the same
- Stamen number
- 10
- Stamens fused
- the stamens are not attached to one another
- Staminodes
- there are no staminodes on the flower
- Style length
- 0.1–0.2 mm
- Style petal-like
- the styles are not petal-like
- Umbel flower reproductive parts
- NA
- Upper lip of bilabiate corolla
- NA
-
Fruits or seeds
- Achene relative orientation
- NA
- Achene shape
- NA
- Achene surface (Polygonum)
- NA
- Achene type
- NA
- Berry color
- NA
- Capsule color (Viola)
- NA
- Capsule splitting
- the capsule splits by two main valves, teeth or pores
- Fruit (pyxis) dehiscence
- NA
- Fruit features (Brassicaceae)
- NA
- Fruit length
- 2.5–3 mm
- Fruit shape
- the fruit is spherical
- Fruit type (general)
- the fruit is dry and splits open when ripe
- Fruit type (specific)
- the fruit is a capsule (splits along two or more seams, apical teeth or pores when dry, to release two or more seeds)
- Fruit width
- 2.5–3 mm
- Legumes (Fabaceae)
- NA
- Mericarp length
- 0 mm
- Mericarp segment shape (Desmodium)
- NA
- Other markings on berry
- NA
- Ovary stipe
- the ovary or fruit does not have a stipe
- Placenta arrangement
- the plant has parietal placentation, where ovules develop on the wall or slight outgrowths of the wall forming broken partitions within a compound ovary
- Rows of seeds in fruit (Brassicaceae)
- NA
- Schizocarpic fruit compression
- NA
- Schizocarpic fruit segments
- 0
- Seed length
- 1.2–1.6 mm
- Seed number
- 4–40
- Seed relative length
- the seed is longer than it is wide
- Seed surface
- the seed is smooth or without clear markings
- Septum in fruit (Brassicaceae)
- NA
- prickles on fruits
- the fruits do not have thorn-like defensive structures
-
Glands or sap
- Glands on leaf blade
- the leaf blades do not have glandular dots or scales
- Sap
- the sap is clear and watery
- Sap color
- the sap is clear
-
Growth form
- Growth form
- the plant is an herb (it has self-supporting stems)
- Horizontal rooting stem
- the plant does not have stolons
- Lifespan
- the plant lives more than two years
- Parasitism
- the plant is not parasitic
- Plant color
- the leaves or young stems of the plant are green
- Spines on plant
- the plant has no spines
- Underground organs
-
- the plant has a caudex (the root mass is firm and hardened at the top)
- the plant has a rhizome (a horizontal underground stem with roots growing from it)
-
Leaves
- Bracteole number (Apiaceae)
- 0
- Bracteoles
- the plant has bracteoles between the primary bracts and the flowers
- Bracts in plantain (Plantago)
- NA
- Final leaf segment length (compound lvs only)
- 0 mm
- Final leaf segment length to width ratio (compound lvs only)
- 0
- Final leaf segment width (compound lvs only)
- 0 mm
- Floral bracts
- the flower has one or more bracts associated with it
- Hairs on leaf stalk
- the petiole has hairs on it
- Hairs on underside of leaf
-
- the underside of the leaf is fuzzy or hairy
- the underside of the leaf is not hairy, or it has very few hairs
- Hairs on upper side of leaf
-
- the upper side of the leaf is fuzzy or hairy
- the upper side of the leaf is not hairy, or it has very few hairs
- Hooked hairs on underside of leaf
- no
- Inflated hairs on leaf
- the leaf blade does not have inflated hairs on it
- Leaf arrangement
- opposite: there are two leaves per node along the stem
- Leaf blade base
- the leaf has a distinct leaf stalk (petiole)
- Leaf blade base shape
-
- the base of the leaf blade is cordate (heart-shaped, has rounded lobes at the base)
- the base of the leaf blade is truncate (ends abruptly in a more or less straight line as though cut off)
- Leaf blade base symmetry
- the leaf blade base is symmetrical
- Leaf blade bloom
- the underside of the leaf has no noticeable bloom
- Leaf blade edges
- the edge of the leaf blade has lobes, or it has both teeth and lobes
- Leaf blade flatness
- the leaf is flat (planar) at the edges
- Leaf blade hairs
- the leaf blade has hairs with glands at their tips
- Leaf blade length
- 11–85 mm
- Leaf blade primary vein pattern
- the major veins radiate out from one point at the base
- Leaf blade shape
- the leaf blade is ovate (widest below the middle and broadly tapering at both ends)
- Leaf blade surface colors
- the upper side of the leaf blade is relatively uniform in color
- Leaf blade texture
- the leaf blade is herbaceous (has a leafy texture)
- Leaf blade vein pattern
- the major veins of the leaf blade branch, but do not rejoin
- Leaf blade width
- 7–96 mm
- Leaf duration
- the leaves drop off in winter (or they whither but persist on the plant)
- Leaf form
- the leaves are green, with an expanded blade and a leaf-like texture
- Leaf hair orientation
- the hairs are flat against the leaf surface, mostly pointing towards the leaf tip
- Leaf shiny
- the upper side of the leaf is dull or slightly shiny
- Leaf spines
- there are no spines on the leaf edges
- Leaf stalk
- the leaves have leaf stalks
- Leaf stalk attachment to leaf
- the petiole attaches at the basal margin of the leaf blade
- Leaf stalk length
- 18–180 mm
- Leaf teeth and lobes
- the leaf has lobes that radiate from the base, somewhat like a hand
- Leaf tip
-
- the tip of the leaf blade is acute (sharply pointed)
- the tip of the leaf blade is obtuse (bluntly pointed)
- Leaf type
- the leaves are simple (i.e., lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets)
- Leaf types
-
- There is a gradual change in appearance of the leaves from the base (or near the base) of the plant to those from further up on the stem, with leaves progressively changing as one moves higher on the stem (often becoming shorter, or less toothed/lobed, and/or with shorter petioles).
- There is an abrupt change in appearance of the leaves from the base (or near the base) of the plant to those from further up on the stem, with the basal leaves of conspicuously different shape or form than those slightly higher up.
- Leaf variation
- the lower leaves are larger, toothier, and/or on longer stalks than the upper leaves
- Leaflet number
- 0
- Leaflet petiolules
- NA
- Leaves per node
- there are two leaves per node along the stem
- Pinnately compound leaf type
- NA
- Specific leaf type
- the leaves are simple (i.e., lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets)
- Stipels
- NA
- Stipule features
- NA
- Stipules
- there are no stipules on the plant
- Teeth per side of leaf blade
- 0
-
Place
- Habitat
- terrestrial
- New England state
-
- Connecticut
- Massachusetts
- New Hampshire
- Vermont
- Specific habitat
- forests
-
Scent
- Plant odor
- the plant does not have much of a smell
-
Stem, shoot, branch
- Branched tendrils
- NA
- Hooked hairs on stem between nodes
- no
- Leaves on stem
- there is at least one full leaf above the base of the flowering stem
- Plant height
- 10–51 cm
- Stem bloom
- there is no powdery or waxy film on the stem
- Stem nodes swollen
- the stem is not swollen at the nodes
- Stem orientation
- the stems are upright or angled outwards
- Stem roughness between nodes
- the stem does not feel rough
- Tendril origin
- NA
- Tendrils
- the plant does not have tendrils
- Wings on stem
- the stem does not have wings on it
Wetland status
Usually occurs in non-wetlands, but occasionally in wetlands. (Wetland indicator code: FACU)
In New England
Distribution
- Connecticut
- present
- Maine
- absent
- Massachusetts
- present
- New Hampshire
- present
- Rhode Island
- absent
- Vermont
- present
Conservation status
Exact status definitions can vary from state to state. For details, please check with your state.
- Massachusetts
- fairly widespread (S-rank: S4)
From Flora Novae Angliae dichotomous key
1. Mitella diphylla L. N
two-leaved bishop’s-cap. CT, MA, NH, VT; most frequent in western New England. Mesic forests, often rich, rocky, and deciduous.
Native to North America?
Yes
Sometimes confused with
- Mitella nuda:
- basal leaf blades rounded to obtuse at the apex, stem with 1 or 0 leaves, and petals 3-5 mm long (vs. M. diphylla, with basal leaf blades obtuse to acute at the apex, stem with a pair of leaves arranged opposite one another, and petals 1.8-2.2 mm long).
- Tiarella cordifolia:
- petals entire and flower stalks 5-10 mm long (vs. M. diphylla, with petals conspicuously fringed and flower stalks 1-2 mm long).
Synonyms
- Mitella oppositifolia Rydb.