Orchidaceae : Orchid Family

• A: Lacking chlorophyll (green pigment) and normal leaves: Corallorhiza trifida
• A: Plants with normal leaves and chlorophyll:
• B: Flowers usualy solitary (up to 3 max.) large and showy:
• C: Lip of flower pubescent (hairy); Leaf single, basal: Calypso bulbosa
• C: Lip of flower glabourus (hairless); Leaves 2 or more cauline (on stem): Cypripedium
• D: Leaves 2 almost opposite: C.guttatum
• D: Leaves 3 or more:
• E: Sepals shorter than lip; Flower White: C.passerinum
• E: Sepals longer than lip; Flower yellow: C.calceolus
• B: Flowers smallish, three or more, in spikes:
• F: Flower lip inflated; Leaves fleshy, evergreen, basal: Goodyera repens
• F: Flower lip not inflated; Leaves not evergreen:
• G: Leaves cauline (on stem) 2, opposite,: Listeris borealis
• G: Leaves either single and basal, or cauline, more than 2, alternate:
• H: FLowers in crowded, twisted spike: Spiranthes romanzoffiana
• H: Flowers in open (not crowded), not twisted spike: Platanthera
• I: Leaf single, basal: P.obtusata
• I: Leaves numerous, cauline: P.hyperborea

Amerorchis (syn. Orchis) (American Orchid)

• One seed pod produces aproximately 1,110 seeds

World (Orchis)= 50 sps.

N.A.= 2 sps.

Yukon= 1 sps.

Calypso (Fairy Slipper)

• In North America represented by 1 species

World= ? sps.

N.A.= 1 sps.

Yukon= 1 sps.

Corallorhiza (Coral Root)

• Saprophytic plants, feed on dead organic matter.
• The greenish colour of our species indicates it does have some chlorophyll unlike most Corallorhiza
• One seed pod produces 1,200-1,550 seeds.

World= 15 sps.

N.A.= 6 sps.

Yukon= 1 sps.

Cypripedium (Lady's-slipper)

• The flowers have 2 anthers which is considered primitive in Orchid family.
• The flowers act as insect traps. They are easy to enter but only way out insect must touch first the pistil where the insect will transfer any pollen it maybe carying. The insect then passes the anthers where it will pick up new pollen on its way out.
• Each seed pod produces 15,300-15,700 seeds.

World= 50 sps.

N.A.= 10 sps.

Yukon= 3 sps.

Goodyera (Rattlesnake-plantain)

• Can form extensive colonies by cloning.
• Seed pods produce 238-419 seeds each.

World= 100 sps.

N.A.= 4 sps.

Yukon= 1 sps.

Listeria (Twayblade)

• Flowers visited most frequently by small beetles of the genus Grammoptera. They are also visited by bees and wasps.
• Flowers secrete nectar to atract these insects and lead them to the stigma. When touched the stigma exudes a drop of sticky fluid onto the forehead of the insect and onto the pollen mass immediately above. It hardens very quickly cementing the pollen to the insect.

World= 30 sps.

N.A.= 7 sps.

Yukon= 2 sps.

Platanthera (syn. Habenaria)(Bog Orchid)

World= 450 sps.

N.A.= 35 sps.

Yukon= 4 sps.

Spiranthes (Ladies'-tresses)

World= 35 sps.

N.A.= 25 sps.

Yukon= 1 sps.