Pogonia ophioglossoides (L.) Ker Gawl. var. brachypogon Fernald
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Pogonia ophioglossoides (L.) Ker Gawl. Rose pogonia, snakemouth orchid
Rose pogonia is a perennial orchid, native to central and eastern North America. It is found in bogs, fens, prairies, meadows, woodlands, swamps, and along river or pond edges. It is rare but not endangered over much of its range. Plants: 1½-28" (4-70 cm) tall, occurring sometimes in colonies. Leaves: A single clasping leaf appears midway up the stem. It is 1½-4" (3.8-10 cm) × ¾" (1.9 cm). Flowers: One, rarely two, or very rarely three flowers top each stalk. Flowers are pink, or rarely white. The labellum, or lip, has jagged (lacerate) edges and a “beard” comprised of several rows of dark pink, yellow, or purple hairs. It is ⅜-⅞" (1.2-2.5 cm) long. Sepals are ½-⅞" (1.4-2.3 cm) long. There is an erect upper sepal, and two petals forming a hood. Flowers appear from June to August. Fruits: An erect capsule up to 1" (2.5 cm) long. These similar species are found in similar habitats: |
6/20/2021 · Heath, Cathance River Nature Preserve, Highland Green, Topsham, Maine
6/20/2021 · Heath, Cathance River Nature Preserve, Highland Green, Topsham, Maine |
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Calopogon tuberosus |
Arethusa bulbosa |
You are here Pogonia ophioglossoides |
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| Plant | A single flowering stalk, up to 4' (1.2 m) in height, withy a single basal leaf. These are somewhat similar to Arethusa bulbosa (dragon’s mouth orchids), but tuberous grass pinks are taller, up to 4' (1.2 m) vs. less than 18" (45 cm) tall. And the labellum, or lip, is uppermost, vs. lowermost on dragon’s mouth orchids. Both orchids are found in the same habitats, in the parts of their range that overlaps. | Inconspicuous unless flowering, but flowers are showy and unique. At less than 16" (40 cm) tall, smaller than similar orchids. And the labellum, or lip, is lowermost, vs. uppermost on grass pinks. | 1½-28" (4-70 cm) tall, occurring sometimes in colonies. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Flowers | Flowers occur in groups (racemes) of 2-25 flowers, each 1-2" (2.5-5 cm) wide. The fragrant flowers are light pink, magenta, or rarely, white. Like all orchids, they have bilateral symmetry—if you divide the flower vertically down the center, the halves are mirror images. Sepals are ⅜-⅞" (1.2-2.5 cm) long, with a lobed labellum (lip) ⅜-⅞" (1.1-2.3 cm) in length. The labellum is larger in proportion to the flower, as compared to other orchids. Flowers appear from May to July. | Each stem is 4-16" (10-40 cm) long, and tipped by a single flower, rarely two. Each flower has three sepals on top, like rabbit ears, and two petals that form a hood. The sepals are ¾-2" (2-5.5 cm) long. A colorful lower lip—the labellum—is ¾-1¼" (1.9-3.5 cm) long, and white, with a yellow middle region and pink speckles, and some bristles in the center. Sepals and petals are pink to red, and rarely, white. Flowers appear from May to as late as mid-July, depending upon region. | One, rarely two, or very rarely three flowers top each stalk. Flowers are pink, or rarely white. The labellum, or lip, has jagged (lacerate) edges and a “beard” comprised of several rows of dark pink, yellow, or purple hairs. It is ⅜-⅞" (1.2-2.5 cm) long. Sepals are ½-⅞" (1.4-2.3 cm) long. There is an erect upper sepal, and two petals forming a hood. Flowers appear from June to August. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Leaves | A single, basal leaf, narrow and linear in shape, is up to 15" (38 cm) long and 1" (2.5 cm) wide. | A single, basal, grasslike leaf, 1½-8" (4-20 cm) × ⅛-⅜" (3-12 mm), typically develops after flowering. | A single clasping leaf appears midway up the stem. It is 1½-4" (3.8-10 cm) × ¾" (1.9 cm). | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Fruit | Oblong capsules up to ⅞" (2.5 cm) long. Fruits appear from July to September. | An erect capsule, ¾-1¼" (1.9-3.2 cm) long. | An erect capsule up to 1" (2.5 cm) long. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Range/ Zones |
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| Habitats | Bogs, fens, swamps, damp meadows, grasslands, and savannas. | Bogs, meadows, fens, and fields, and the edges of swamps and other wetlands. | Bogs, fens, prairies, meadows, woodlands, swamps, and along river or pond edges. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Type | Wild | Wild | Wild | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Occurrence | Rare | Rare | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Online References:
Pogonia ophioglossoides at Minnesota Wildflowers
Pogonia ophioglossoides at the Missouri Botanical Garden
Pogonia ophioglossoides on goorchids.northamericanorchidcenter.org
Pogonia ophioglossoides on plants.ces.ncsu.edu
6/19/2021 · Long Reach Preserve, Harpswell, Maine
≈ 7 × 10" (18 × 25 cm) 
6/20/2021 · Heath, Cathance River Nature Preserve, Highland Green, Topsham, Maine
≈ 5 × 8" (13 × 20 cm) 
6/20/2021 · Heath, Cathance River Nature Preserve, Highland Green, Topsham, Maine
≈ 3½ × 4" (9 × 10 cm) 
6/20/2021 · Heath, Cathance River Nature Preserve, Highland Green, Topsham, Maine
≈ 4 × 6" (10 × 15 cm) 
Pogonia ophioglossoides description by Thomas H. Kent, last updated 17 Aug 2021.
© FloraFinder.org. All rights reserved.
6/20/2021 · Heath, Cathance River Nature Preserve, Highland Green, Topsham, Maine
≈ 2½ × 2½" (6.8 × 6.8 cm) 
8/17/2021 · Long Reach Preserve, Harpswell, Maine · By Priscilla Seimer 
6/19/2021 · Long Reach Preserve, Harpswell, Maine 
6/20/2021 · Heath, Cathance River Nature Preserve, Highland Green, Topsham, Maine
≈ 8 × 10" (19 × 26 cm) 
Preserved by the Frenchman Bay Conservancy · 12/8/2020 · Hancock County, Maine · By Susan Cole Kelly 
Range: Zones 3-8:
