Wildflower Spot – February 2015

John Clayton Chapter of the Virginia Native Society

Tipularia discolor pollen-bearingslightly to the right sacs orbecome left. This attached is necessary to the for pollination by night-flying moths, when the Past-president of the John Clayton CraneflyChapter, VNPS Orchid By Helen Hamilton, moth’s eye.

A familiar site in rich woods in the winter is the dampGrowing woods naturally from Massachusettsin nearly all counties to southern of Michigan,Virginia, Cranefly Florida andorchid east is Texas.Thefound in rich name discolor, severalsingle leaf leaves, of the each summer-blooming representing a single Cranefly plant, the leaf surfaces. This has a complex Orchid. This species usually occurs in colonies – geological past;“of its different 3 species colors,” are located refers in to the isare bright usually purple, seen atogether. combination The topof colors of the which leaf is gray-green, often mottled, and the underside Himalayas, Japan, and here in the eastern U.S. nurseries since, like all native orchids, it is ovatemay increase leaf grows the up light and captured is visible under in the winter local dependentCranefly orchid on fungi is not in usuallythe ground. available And, in all woodsconditions. all winter. After the flowers disappear, an parts of the plant are inconspicuous.

through local woods inconspicuous.When the orchid Pale blooms green in and mid-July, pale purple no leaves to inHowever, the winter, on a the walk are visible. The flower of Cranefly Orchid is leaves are a welcome overlooked, unlike the winter leaf which signals sight in the midst of beige, no more than ½ inch across, it is easily brown leaf litter. v the presence of this orchid. The flowers are ofinconspicuous slanting fall sunlightbut very delicate. They are highlightsonly noticed what when reminds a shaft some people of a swarm of small

Tipula.insects - hence “cranefly.” The genus name of the cranefly is Another common name,

“Crippled Cranefly” refers to the flowers which incline Photo: discolor For more information about native visit www.vnps.org. Cranefly Orchid ( ) taken by Helen Hamilton