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Bilateral Symmetry - Orchid Family

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Orchid plants have a single stem. The flowers can be singular or clustered in a raceme or spiral. Some orchids have many leaves, some have only a few leaves, some have none.

There is great variety in orchid flowers, but generally they have one lip, two petals, and three sepals.

1) The lip (labellum) is a modified petal, often quite obvious, and a different color than the other petals. It is located in the lower position because the pedicel (flower stem) is twisted 180°. It is the landing site for insects.

2) The two petals are above or to each side of the lip.

3) The three sepals often look like petals.


Rose Pogonia, Pogonia ophioglossoides, Hill (2)   Rose Pogonia, Pogonia ophioglossoides, Hill   Rose Pogonia, Pogonia ophioglossoides, Hill (1)

Orchidaceae - Orchid family
Rose Pogonia (Snake-mouth) Pogonia ophioglossoides
Flower is about 1" wide with crimson-purple veins and yellow projections. There is one leaf halfway up the stem and a leaf-like bract under the flower. Pogonia means bearded in reference to the lip. Ophioglossoides refers to the orchids' resemblance to adder's tongue fern in having the one leaf on the stem. The plant grows to about 16" tall. Grows in acidic wetlands in pine savannahs. Blooms April-July.
Photos taken by Sonnia Hill in Tyler County, Texas, April 2003
Close-up photo taken by Sonnia Hill in Anderson County, Texas, May 2004
(Native of east Texas)



Grass-pink, Calopogon tuberosus, Hill (5)   Grass-pink, Calopogon tuberosus, Hill (1)   Grass-pink, Calopogon tuberosus, Hill (2)   Grass-pink, Calopogon tuberosus, Hill (3)   Grass-pink, Calopogon tuberosus, Hill (4)

Orchidaceae - Orchid family
Grass-pink Calopogon tuberosus
Flower is about 1 1/2" wide. They bloom one at a time up the stem. For an insect landing spot most orchids have a lip located at the bottom (pedicel is twisted 180°). Oddly, this orchid has its lip at the top. This genus offers no reward to pollinators, but its shape and bold color mimic those that do. Pollinated by bumblebees and leafcutter bees. One grass-like leaf at base. Calopogon means beautiful beard. Plant usually grows to about 31" tall but can reach 53" tall. Grows in acidic sand of wetland pine savannah. Blooms May-July.
Photos taken by Sonnia Hill in Tyler County, Texas, May 2004, May 2005
(Native of east Texas)



Texas Purple Spike, Hexalectris warnockii, Hill (1)   Texas Purple Spike, Hexalectris warnockii, Hill (3)   Texas Purple Spike, Hexalectris warnockii, Hill (4)   Texas Purple Spike, Hexalectris warnockii, Hill

Orchidaceae - Orchid family
Texas Purple Spike Hexalectris warnockii
Maroon flower is about 1" wide and 3/4" long. Lip has two lateral lobes (hood-like) and a middle lobe with five bright yellow-orange waxy crests and a maroon tip. A rare variation is green (see below) instead of maroon. No leaves. This plant does not produce chlorophyll. It is myco-heterotrophic, acquiring its nutrients through a symbiotic relationship with a mycorrhizal fungus. Plant grows to about 16" tall under open canopy of oak-juniper trees.
Photos taken by Sonnia Hill in Dallas County, Texas, July 2005

(Native of Texas, rare in central and far west - Taylor)


Arizona Crested Coral Root, Hexalectris spicata var. arizonica, Hill   Arizona Crested Coral Root, Hexalectris spicata var. arizonica, Hill (1)   Arizona Crested Coral Root, Hexalectris spicata var. arizonica, Hill (2)   Arizona Crested Coral Root, Hexalectris spicata var. arizonica, Hill (3)

Orchidaceae - Orchid family
Arizona Crested Coral Root Hexalectris spicata var. arizonica
Tiny flowers are under 1/2" long, often do not open, and are self pollinating. Leafless stems are reddish or purple. Plant grows to about 31" tall. This plant does not produce chlorophyll. It is myco-heterotrophic, acquiring its nutrients through a symbiotic relationship with a mycorrhizal fungus. These plants like oak-juniper forests over limestone, often on a slight slope, with open canopy. Blooms May-August.
Photos taken by Sonnia Hill in Dallas County, Texas, July 2005
(Native of Texas, east, central, far west - Brown, Coke)



Shining Hexalectris, Hexalectris nitida, Hill (1)   Shining Hexalectris, Hexalectris nitida, Hill (2)   Shining Hexalectris, Hexalectris nitida, Hill

Orchidaceae - Orchid family
Shining Hexalectris Hexalectris nitida
Flowers are about 1/2" long, often do not open, and are self pollinating. A variation is green instead of maroon. No leaves. This plant does not produce chlorophyll. It is myco-heterotrophic, acquiring its nutrients through a symbiotic relationship with a mycorrhizal fungus. Plant grows to about 17" tall under open canopy of oak-juniper trees. Blooms June-August.
Photos taken by Sonnia Hill in Dallas County, Texas, July 2005
(Native of Texas, rare in central and far west - Taylor)



Spring Coralroot, Corallorhiza wisteriana, Hill (1)   Spring Coralroot, Corallorhiza wisteriana, Hill (2)   Spring Coralroot, Corallorhiza wisteriana, Hill (3)   Spring Coralroot, Corallorhiza wisteriana, Hill (4)   Spring Coralroot, Corallorhiza wisteriana, Hill

Orchidaceae - Orchid family
Spring Coralroot Corallorhiza wisteriana (Corallorrhiza wisteriana)
Flower is about 1/2" long, white with red-purple spots. They grow on a spike-like raceme to about 16" tall from a pink rhizome. No leaves. It is myco-heterotrophic, acquiring its nutrients through a symbiotic relationship with a mycorrhizal fungus. The rhizomes are pink and branched like coral. It grows on leaf mulch on limestone hills and in sand. Blooms February-March.
Photos taken by Sonnia Hill in Dallas County, Texas, March 2005
(Native of Texas, east and central - Tom Green)



Southern Twayblade, Listera australis, Hill (2)   Southern Twayblade, Listera australis, Hill (3)   Southern Twayblade, Listera australis, Hill (4)   Southern Twayblade, Listera australis, Hill (5)   Southern Twayblade, Listera australis, Hill

Orchidaceae - Orchid family
Southern Twayblade Listera australis
Tiny flower can be reddish-purple or green. The lip is deeply cleft in two and is about 1/2" long. The other petals are tiny. Two opposite leaves halfway up reddish-green stem. When an insect lands on the flower, it touches trigger hairs that releases a squirt of glue then pollinia (capsules of pollen). The stigma is covered to prevent self-pollination. Plant grows to about 6" tall in clumps of moss and humus within moist pine-hardwood forests. Blooms February-March.
Photos taken by Sonnia Hill in Smith County, Texas, March 2004, March 2005
(Native of far east Texas)



Also see:
yellow orchids    white orchids

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