Appendix 261 



3._POGONIA VERTICILLATA (Willdenow) Nuttall, 1805- 



1818 

 Large Whori^ed Pogonia 



The specific name, verticillatay refers to the whorled or verti- 

 cillate growth of the leaves. 



Small moist woodland orchid, with fleshy-fibrous creeping 

 roots. May 2oth-June 15th. 



Flowers solitary, purplish-green, and yellow, erect or de- 

 clined, terminal ; peduncle ^-% inch long, in fruit exceeding 

 the seed-capsule. Labellum 3-lobed, crested along a narrow 

 band, upper part expanded, greenish-yellow. Sepals linear, 

 ijl^-2 inches long, V12 inch wide, spreading, dark purple; petals 

 linear, obtuse, greenish-yellow, ^/g inch long. Stem 10-12 

 inches high, round and purplish. Leaves 5, verticillate, in a 

 whorl strongly recalling the whorls of the Indian Cucumber 

 plants {Medeola), with which it grows in company ; obovate, 

 terminal, pointed at apex, 1-3 inches long. Rarely an obovate 

 basal stem-leaf occurs below the whorl. The roots distinguish 

 this plant from Indian Cucumber, yet many times the two plants 

 so closely resemble each other that it is difficult to determine 

 one from the other until the roots are revealed. The stem of the 

 Pogonia, however, is larger, fleshy, purplish, and juicy, while the 

 Indian Cucumber is brittle and slender. 



Continental Range — From Ontario, Canada, southward to 

 North Carolina and Florida ; westward to Michigan and In- 

 diana. 



New England Range — Maine, not reported ; New Hamp- 

 shire, rare ; "Vermont, rare ; Massachusetts, frequent ; Rhode 

 Island, rare ; Connecticut, frequent. 



4.— POGONIA AFFINIS Austin, 1867 ' 

 Smai.1, Whori^ed Pogonia 



The specific name, affinis, comes from the Latin affinitas, near 

 alliance, referring to the close relation or affinity this species 

 bears to its sister species, Pogonia verticillata. 



Small moist woodland orchid, with fleshy-fibrous roots. 

 June. 



Flowers 2 or solitary, greenish-yellow, peduncle Y^t-Yi inch 

 long. Labellum crested over the whole face and lobes. Sepals 

 and petals equal. Stem 8-10 inches high. Leaves in a whorl 

 of 5 at the summit, smaller than the whorl in P. verticillata. 

 Seed-capsule erect, i inch long. 



Continental Range — From northern Vermont, southward to 

 Pennsylvania. This orchid has quite recently been collected in 



'Species not reported for Hoosac Valley region, although 

 native of Vermont. 



