Goodyera oblongifolia

Goodyera oblongifolia
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Orchidaceae
Subfamily: Orchidoideae
Tribe: Cranichideae
Subtribe: Goodyerinae
Genus: Goodyera
Species: G. oblongifolia
Binomial name
Goodyera oblongifolia
Raf.
Synonyms
  • Spiranthes decipiens Hook.
  • Goodyera menziesii Lindl.
  • Orchiodes decipiens (Hook.) Kuntze
  • Peramium menziesii (Lindl.) Morong
  • Peramium decipiens (Hook.) Piper
  • Epipactis decipiens (Hook.) Ames
  • Goodyera decipiens (Hook.) F.T. Hubb.
  • Goodyera oblongifolia var. reticulata B. Boivin
  • Goodyera oblongifolia f. reticulata (B. Boivin) P.M. Br.

Goodyera oblongifolia is a species of orchid known by the common names western rattlesnake plantain and giant rattlesnake plantain. It is native to much of North America, particularly the western side of the continent from Alaska to Mexico, and to eastern Canada. It is most commonly found in mountain forests, often in the understory of conifers. This orchid forms a patch of broad lance-shaped to oval-shaped leaves at the ground, each 4 to 9 centimeters long. The leaf is dark green and in this species the midrib is streaked with white. The netlike veining on the leaf is also white, but not as thick as the midrib stripes. The plant produces an erect inflorescence up to about 30 centimeters tall. The top of the inflorescence has many white orchid flowers which may all face the same direction on the stalk, or be spirally arranged about it.

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