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Common Names:(Hausman, 1947)
-Lesser Rattlesnake Plantain
-White Plantain
-Squirrel-ear
Higher Taxa:(Jones, 1986)
-Class: Angiospermae
-Subclass: Liliidae
-Order: Orchidales
-Family: Orchidaceae
-Tribe: Cranichideae
-Genus: Goodyera
-Species: repens
More on taxonomy of Orchids can be found at this link.
Identification:
Goodyera repens was first described by Robert Brown in 1813. The location of the specimens and where they were collected can not be found. Hausman describes this species as follows,"A glandular, pubescent scape from 5 to 10 inches high, bears many greenish-white flowers on one side of the spike. The lip is sac-like with a recurved tip. The basal leaves are ovate, five-nerved, veined, and bordered with white"(Hausman et al. 1947).
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A close up of G. repens flowers can be seen at this link. A picture of G. repens in its natural habitat can be seen at this link.
Geography:
Goodyera repens is a native plant of North America. According to Blanchan's book Nature's Garden, G. repens ranges from Colorado eastward to the Atlantic, from Nova Scotia to Florida and in Europe and Asia(Blanchan et al. 1901). However according to most other sources G. repens is usually not found south of South Carolina and Tennessee(Hausman et al. 1947).
| AREA | STATUS | REFERENCES |
| North America:Continental United States; Canada | Yes | Hausman, 1947 |
| Eastern North America:United States east of Mississippi; Ontario and eastern Canada | Yes | Hausman, 1947 |
| Southeastern United States:AL AR DE DC FL GA KY MD NC SC TN VA WV | Yes | Hausman,1947 |
| Southern Appalachian StatesAL GA KY MD NC SC TN VA WV | Yes | Blanchan, 1901 |
| Coastal Plain | ||
| Piedmont | ||
| Blue Ridge Mountains | Yes | Blanchan, 1901 |
| Great Smoky Mountains National Park | Yes | Hausman,1947 |
| Ridge and Valley | ||
| Cumberland Plateau | ||
| Central Arch | ||
| Georgia | No | Hausman, 1947 |
| Clarke County, Georgia | No | Hausman, 1947 |
| Sams Farm | No | Hausman, 1947 |
| Old Field | ||
| Wetland | No | Hausman, 1947 |
| Woods | Yes | Hausman, 1947 |
| 1-Hectare Plot |
Goodyera repens has a preference for dry, cold, mossy woods, especially under conifers(Duncan et al. 1975). The blue-green leaves of this species persist all year and the plants tend to grow in colonies. G. repens flowers between July and August. This species is very dependent on the bumblebee for pollination, but wind dispersal also plays a role(Blanchan et al. 1901).
How to Encounter:
Goodyera repens tends to be more common in cooler wooded areas. It can be found near conifers or evergreens. G. repens also likes mossy areas. The flowers can be seen in the summer months but the leaves can be found all year(Hausman et al. 1947). This species is probably not found at Sams farm. The best place to look for G. repens would be in the woods of North Carolina and further north.