Neottia banksiana / northwestern twayblade
- orchid – with two stem-clasping leaves halfway up the stem
- moist, dim understory habitat, in clonal patches
- very small green orchid flower – 5 sickle-shaped petals and sepals, 1 broader green labellum (lip)
- small, insignificant and easily overlooked
Synonyms: Listera banksiana, L. caurina, Neottia caurina, Ophrys caurina
Neottia banksiana is a tiny and rather insignificant orchid that can be found in moist, dim habitat, such as mountain forest understory. It is first recognizable by the two opposite leaves clasping the stem just above middle height. Looked at later and more closely, the stem is rather hairy above the leaves. Supposedly, once you have the “search image” in mind, you will start to see the recognizable twin leaves all over the forest floor, especially in the deep, dark areas. I am hoping I now have that image and will find more.
As for the flowers, the inflorescence is a small raceme of green or yellow-green flowers. They open from the bottom upward with time. Each flower has five lance- or sickle-shaped, petal-like bits. Three of these are actually sepals while two are actual petals but they all look similar. In addition, there is one larger petal, the lip or labellum, that is larger and wedge-shaped with a broad, rounded tip. The labellum is not pouch-like. Some plants have a slight notch or tooth at the end.
The northwestern twayblade is clonal, spreading by thin, creeping rhizomes so it is commonly found in patches. On the forested hill-sides of the Valley, expect it to bloom beginning in mid-June.
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