Neottia bifolia — southern twayblade
![Inflorescences: Neottia bifolia. ~ By Arthur Haines. ~ Copyright © 2024 Arthur Haines. ~ arthur.d.haines[at]gmail.com](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com/taxon-images-1000s1000/Orchidaceae/neottia-bifolia-in-ahaines-b.jpg)
![Flowers: Neottia bifolia. ~ By David Stone. ~ Copyright © 2024 New England Wild Flower Society. ~ Image Request, images[at]newenglandwild.org](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com/taxon-images-1000s1000/Orchidaceae/neottia-bifolia-fl-dstone.jpg)
![Plant form: Neottia bifolia. ~ By Arthur Haines. ~ Copyright © 2024 Arthur Haines. ~ arthur.d.haines[at]gmail.com](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com/taxon-images-1000s1000/Orchidaceae/neottia-bifolia-ha-ahaines-c.jpg)
![Flowers: Neottia bifolia. ~ By Arthur Haines. ~ Copyright © 2024 Arthur Haines. ~ arthur.d.haines[at]gmail.com](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com/taxon-images-1000s1000/Orchidaceae/neottia-bifolia-fl-ahaines-a.jpg)
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Facts
Southern twayblade is a diminutive orchid with a disjunct distribution in and around Florida and the Gulf Coast, then jumps to Pennsylvania, New York, and northwestern Vermont. In this area there are a few populations found on open and forested peat bogs. It may be more common than this would indicate, but the plant is small and inconspicuous, and fades rapidly after setting seed, so it is difficult to find.
Habitat
Bogs, 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
- wetlands
- New England state
-
- Massachusetts
- Vermont
- Leaf arrangement
-
- alternate: there is one leaf per node along the stem
- opposite: there are two leaves per node along the stem
- whorled: there are three or more leaves per node along the stem
- Number of leaves on stem
-
- 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
- pink to red
- Nectar spur
- there are no nectar spurs on the flower
- Inflorescence type
- the inflorescence is a raceme (a long unbranched stem with stalked flowers growing along it)
- Lower petal characteristics
- the labellum is lobed
- Lower petal length
- 6–12 mm
-
Flowers
- Flower petal color
-
- green
- purple
- Flower symmetry
- there is only one way to evenly divide the flower (the flower is bilaterally symmetrical)
- Flowering date
-
- July
- June
- May
- Flowers per inflorescence
- 5–25
- Form of lower petal
- the labellum does not have a pouch-like shape
- Hairs on flower stalk
- the flower stalk has at least some hairs with glands at their bases or tips
- Hairs on inflorescence axis
- at least some of the hairs on the main stem of the inflorescence have glands
- Inflorescence length
- 45–110 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 is lobed
- Lower petal length
- 6–12 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
- pink to red
- Nectar spur
- there are no nectar spurs on the flower
- Nectar spur length
- 0 mm
- Number of stamens
- 1
- Orientation of side petals
-
- the lateral petals are angled steeply upwards
- the lateral petals slant outward
- Self-pollinating flowers
- there are no cleistogamous flowers on this plant
- Sepals fused only to sepals
- the sepals are separate from one another
- Spots on lower petal
- no
- Spur opening membrane
- NA
- Spur opening shape
- NA
-
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
-
Leaves
- Bract relative length
- the bract is shorter 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
- opposite: there are two leaves per node along the stem
- whorled: there are three or more leaves per node along the stem
- Leaf blade edges
- the edges of the leaf blade have no teeth
- Leaf blade length
- 13–40 mm
- Leaf blade length to width ratio
- 1.9–2.6
- Leaf blade shape
-
- the leaf blade is elliptic (widest near the middle and tapering at both ends)
- the leaf blade is oblong (rectangular but with rounded ends)
- 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 acuminate (tapers to a long, thin point)
- the tip of the leaf blade is acute (sharply pointed)
- the tip of the leaf blade is caudate (has a very long tail-like projection ending in a point)
- the tip of the leaf blade is obtuse (bluntly pointed)
- Leaf blade width
- 5–21 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
-
- four
- three
- two
-
Place
- Habitat
- wetlands
- New England state
-
- Massachusetts
- Vermont
- Specific habitat
-
- bogs
- swamps
Wetland status
Usually occurs in wetlands, but occasionally in non-wetlands. (Wetland indicator code: FACW)
In New England
Distribution
- Connecticut
- absent
- Maine
- absent
- Massachusetts
- present
- New Hampshire
- absent
- Rhode Island
- absent
- Vermont
- present
Conservation status
Exact status definitions can vary from state to state. For details, please check with your state.
- Massachusetts
- extremely rare (uncertain) (S-rank: S1?)
- Vermont
- extremely rare (S-rank: S1)
From Flora Novae Angliae dichotomous key
2. Neottia bifolia (Raf.) Baumbach NC
southern twayblade. Bifolium australe (Lindl.) Nieuwl.; Diphryllum bifolium Raf.; Listera australis Lindl.; Ophrys australis (Lindl.) House • MA, VT. Growing on Sphagnum in forested and open bogs, rarely in forested swamps. The labellum in this species varies from red-purple to green.
Native to North America?
Yes
Sometimes confused with
- Neottia cordata:
- axis of inflorescence glabrous, labellum mostly 3–4 mm long, yellow-green to green or red-purple, and leaves on many individuals contracted to a short, petiole-like base (vs. N. bifolia, with the axis of inflorescence stipitate-glandular, labellum 6–12 mm long, red-purple, and leaves sessile).
Synonyms
- Bifolium australe (Lindl.) Nieuwl.
- Diphryllum bifolium Raf.
- Listera australis Lindl.
- Ophrys australis (Lindl.) House