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- Pogonia
- Pogonia ophioglossoides
Pogonia ophioglossoides — rose pogonia
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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.
Facts
Rose pogonia is found over an unusually broad temperature range, from northern Canada to southern Florida. It is a distinctive orchid, with a pink flower and a single clasping leaf half way up the stem. The specific name (ophioglossoides) refers to the fact that Adder's tongue ferns (Ophioglossum), have a similar single leaf half way up the stem. The two unrelated plants also share similar habitat requirements.
Habitat
Anthropogenic (man-made or disturbed habitats), bogs, fens, meadows and fields, wetland margins (edges of wetlands)
Characteristics
- Habitat
- 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
- one
- Form of lower petal
- the labellum does not have a pouch-like shape
- Lower petal outline
- the labellum is fringed (it may or may not be lobed)
- Main color of lower petal
-
- green to brown
- pink to red
- white
- yellow
- Nectar spur
- there are no nectar spurs on the flower
- Inflorescence type
- the inflorescence has only one flower or a pair of flowers on it
- Lower petal characteristics
-
- the labellum is fringed
- the labellum is simple in form
- Lower petal length
- 12–25 mm
- Sepal length
- 14–23 mm
-
Flowers
- Flower bract length
- 7–37 mm
- Flower petal color
-
- blue
- pink
- white
- Flower symmetry
- there is only one way to evenly divide the flower (the flower is bilaterally symmetrical)
- Flowering date
-
- August
- July
- June
- Flowers per inflorescence
- 1–2
- Form of lower petal
- the labellum does not have a pouch-like shape
- Hairs on inflorescence axis
-
- NA
- the main stem of the inflorescence is hairless
- Inflorescence type
- the inflorescence has only one flower or a pair of flowers on it
- Labellum position
- the labellum is in the lower position on the flower
- Length of narrowed base of lower petal
- 0 mm
- Lower petal characteristics
-
- the labellum is fringed
- the labellum is simple in form
- Lower petal length
- 12–25 mm
- Lower petal outline
- the labellum is fringed (it may or may not be lobed)
- Lower petal strongly red-veined
- yes
- Main color of lower petal
-
- green to brown
- pink to red
- white
- yellow
- 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 slant outward
- Pollen sacs
- the pollinia remain intact and do not fragment into smaller parts
- Self-pollinating flowers
- there are no cleistogamous flowers on this plant
- Sepal length
- 14–23 mm
- Sepals fused only to sepals
- the sepals are separate from one another
- Shape of viscidium
- NA
- Spots on lower petal
- no
- Spur opening membrane
- NA
- Spur opening shape
- NA
-
Fruits or seeds
- Fruit length
- 14–30 mm
- Fruit width
- 4–8 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
-
- 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 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
- Leaf blade edges
- the edges of the leaf blade have no teeth
- Leaf blade length
- 14–120 mm
- Leaf blade length to width ratio
- 3.5–3.8
- 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 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 acute (sharply pointed)
- the tip of the leaf blade is obtuse (bluntly pointed)
- Leaf blade width
- 4–32 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
- one
-
Place
- Habitat
- wetlands
- New England state
-
- Connecticut
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- New Hampshire
- Rhode Island
- Vermont
- Specific habitat
-
- bogs
- edges of wetlands
- fens
- man-made or disturbed habitats
- meadows or fields
Wetland status
Occurs only in wetlands. (Wetland indicator code: OBL)
New England distribution and conservation status
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.
- Maine
- unranked (S-rank: SNR)
- Massachusetts
- widespread (S-rank: S5)
- Vermont
- uncommon (S-rank: S3)
Native to North America?
Yes
Sometimes confused with
- Calopogon tuberosus:
- modified petal (the labellum) uppermost, with a brush of fine yellow hairs, and leaf blades mostly linear to lanceolate (vs. P. ophioglossoides, with the modified petal (the labellum) lowermost, ornimented, but without a brush of fine yellow hairs, and leaf blades mostly oblanceolate to elliptic).
Synonyms
- Pogonia ophioglossoides var. brachypogon Fern.
Family
Genus
From the dichotomous key of Flora Novae Angliae
1. Pogonia ophioglossoides (L.) Ker-Gawl. N
rose pogonia. Pogonia ophioglossoides (L.) Ker-Gawl. var. brachypogon Fern. • CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT. Fens, bogs, sandy meadows, ditches.