chirp Posted July 20, 2004 Share Posted July 20, 2004 Does anyone have a link to a great or decent online Northwest native plant web page? On my way up to Bobs at x38 I noticed this small plant ( Hugs the ground and is about 3-4 inches in diameter), the leaf design is fairly striking, it was the ONLY one seen on this trip and unique for me. I cant seem to locate a decent reference.a If anyone can name it off the top of their head that would be cool. It sends up a center shoot with flowers ( none were in bloom) Please see attachment for the marginal shot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klenke Posted July 20, 2004 Share Posted July 20, 2004 I can't tell the scale in your picture but I thought it looked a little like common butterwort (Pinguicula vulgaris). It is an insectivore. It is listed in my Monte Cristo Area guidebook, to which is written: "This interesting little insectivore is not quite as common as its name suggests--at least in the Monte Cristo Area...The orchid-like flower rises up on an erect stem from a small whorl of yellowish-green leaves. The sticky leaves are usually spotted with insects as the butterwort gets its nitrogen by trapping and digesting small bugs. HEIGHT: up to 6 inches. HABITAT: exposed wet areas; sub-alpine to alpine." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricardo_Montalban Posted July 20, 2004 Share Posted July 20, 2004 hhmm...i've seen this before. i thought it was a wintergreen (pyrola), but that's not checking out. i'll check my keys and get back to you tomorrow. could you describe the spent flower and stalk? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dukiebird Posted July 20, 2004 Share Posted July 20, 2004 Sounds like some kind of Saxifrage sp. I would reccommend checking out "Plants of the Pacific Northwest Coast: Washington, Oregon, British Columbia, and Alaska", link to amazon.com description here: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1551050404/qid=1090347598/sr=8-1/ref=pd_ka_1/002-0885244-5786422?v=glance&s=books&n=507846 This is the guide that I use when I'm doing plant surveys in the field, it's never failed me yet. If you don't want to drop the cheese to buy it, you could go check it out from a library, and there are copies of it in almost every Barnes and Noble or nursury in the area, I think I even saw it in REI once. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chirp Posted July 20, 2004 Author Share Posted July 20, 2004 hhmm...i've seen this before. i thought it was a wintergreen (pyrola), but that's not checking out. i'll check my keys and get back to you tomorrow. could you describe the spent flower and stalk? Ricardo: It wasnt blooming yet but was close. Here is another attachment with another perspective, it includes a flowerstalk but only buds. dukiebird : Thanks for the link, that looks like a great reference, i'm gonna grab that one as it sounds quality. Klenke! Thanks for your input, looks similar but I dont think thats the plant, this was in dark forest, in moist duff. It was distinctive enough to catch my eye as something I dont usually see, hence the inquiry. 3-4" in diameter and 1-2' tall Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
estivate Posted July 21, 2004 Share Posted July 21, 2004 looks like rattlesnake orchid, goodyera oblongifolia The recommendation by others for the Pojar and MacKinnon book is a good one. By far the best EZ field guide for W side plants. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klenke Posted July 21, 2004 Share Posted July 21, 2004 Estivate: Thanks for the clue. I think that is it. I also just realized (looked up) the meaning of your avatar. Sucks to be you if that's your summers. Here is a pic from the web of the rattlesnake plantain (I guess plantains and orchids are related): Source (Mt. Rainier National Park, no less) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chirp Posted July 21, 2004 Author Share Posted July 21, 2004 Excellent! Thanks all! I have noticed quite a few Orchids this year. I'm not sure why, maybe I am just more alert or perhaps its a climatic thing. I will have to head back up to the Bobs to see if the blooms are indeed the plant. It was in the area before the cutoff to Amazonia...just past a section of the trail that passes to the right of a strange, duff and dead tree covered knob. Kudos and thanks for the info and input all! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricardo_Montalban Posted July 21, 2004 Share Posted July 21, 2004 Chirp, it's definitely Rattlesnake Plantain (Goodyera oblongifolia). the type specimen has a network of white marks (like snakeskin) on the leaves, but this species shows a lot of variation (dark green with midrib vs. lighter green with snakeskin pattern). This is an orchid, not a plantain. The leaves can resemble a plantain, hence the name. Excellent field guide suggestion above (Plants of the PNW, Pojar, MacKinnon). For the super botano-geeks, Flora of the PNW, Hitchcock & Cronquist is the leading authority (all key, no photos)...although up in WA it may be replaced by now (or in the process of). when buying a field guide, the more local the guide (in scope), the better luck you'll have identifying. More info...(invasives, plant lists, listserves, etc.) Native Plant Society of Oregon: http://npsoregon.org/ Native Plant Society of WA: http://www.wnps.org/ (damn! Wnps site kicks npsO's ass) Native PLant Society of BC: http://eflora.bc.ca/ (very cool) USDA Plants site: http://plants.usda.gov/ (can query, but scope is national and is cumbersome to find local species) happy botanizing!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chirp Posted July 21, 2004 Author Share Posted July 21, 2004 Killer reference pages! Many thanks! Bingo! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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