Tipularia discolor

Tipularia discolor
Crane-fly Orchid
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Orchidaceae
Subfamily: Epidendroideae
Tribe: Calypsoeae
Genus: Tipularia
Species: T. discolor
Binomial name
Tipularia discolor
(Pursh) Nuttall

The Crane-fly Orchid (Tipularia discolor) is a perennial terrestrial woodland orchid, a member of the Orchidaceae. It is the only species of the genus Tipularia found in North America. This orchid grows a single leaf in September that disappears in the spring. The leaf is green with dark purple spots. The orchid blooms in mid-July to late August. The roots are a connected series of corms. Its roots are edible. They are starchy and almost potato-like.

The plant is pollinated by noctuid moths, by means of flowers which incline slightly to the right or left, so the pollinaria can attach to one of the moth's eyes.[1]

  • Growing in large clonal group

  • Tipularia discolor colony, with seed pods, Florida, February.

  • Underside of leaf is always purple

  • TipDiscolor23Jul03.jpg

  • Seed pods

  • Broken seed pod with micrograph of seed insert.

Cranefly orchids are endangered, threatened, or rare in several states.[2]

References

  1. ^ "Tipularia discolor". Flora of North America. http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=220013573. 
  2. ^ Tipularia discolor (Pursh) Nutt., USDA PLANTS
  • Homoya, Michael A.. Orchids of Indiana. Indiana University Press. ISBN 0-253-32864-0. 


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