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Species Image Gallery (opens in a new window) |
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| THE ORCHID FAMILY | |||||||||
| The orchid family is easily recognizable
because of the unique structures of the flower. There are usually three
sepals and three petals, similar to other petaloid monocots; however, the
sepals often look like the two side petals. The middle petal is called the
labellum or lip and is usually highly modified. The lip can be pouch-like,
have appendages or be coloured differently than the rest of the perianth.
The stamens, style, and stigma are fused together to form the column. There
is usually one functional anther with two pollen sacs that contain masses
of pollen called pollinia. The stigma is usually a sticky surface at the
tip or beak of the column. The ovary is long and can be seen below the sepals
and petals. Orchid flowers can be very bright and large, which makes them popular ornamental plants. This family is well represented in the tropics. Saskatchewan has several orchid species, most of which are quite small. |
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| YELLOW WIDELIP ORCHID | |||||||||
| LATIN NAME: Liparis loeselii | |||||||||
| WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE? | |||||||||
| Yellow widelip orchid grows up to 25 cm tall from a short rhizome. There is an enlargement at the base of the stem that is covered in bracts. The stem is pale or yellowish-green. There are two green, glossy leaves. The flowers are in an unbranched cluster up to 10 cm long. The sepals and petals are greenish, yellowish, or whitish. The petals are threadlike with a wedge-shaped base. The column is short and stout. | |||||||||
| WHERE DOES IT GROW? | |||||||||
| Yellow widelip orchid grows in wet meadows, fens, and sloughs. | |||||||||
| WHERE IS IT FOUND IN SASKATCHEWAN? | |||||||||
| This plant is found in central to southeastern Saskatchewan in the Moist Mixed Grassland, Aspen Parkland, Boreal Transition, Mid-Boreal Upland, and Mid-Boreal Lowland ecoregions. | |||||||||
| WHY IS IT RARE? | |||||||||
| Yellow widelip orchid is vulnerable because it is rare or uncommon in Saskatchewan. It is found in several localities in the province but is almost always locally sparse. No immediate threats are known but are possible in the future. | |||||||||
| HOW TO IDENTIFY YELLOW WIDELIP ORCHID | |||||||||
| * Are the sepals and petals greenish, yellowish
or whitish? * Are the flowers in an unbranched cluster up to 10 cm long? * Are the petals thread-like? * Did you find in central to southeastern Saskatchewan? | |||||||||
| If you answered yes to all of these questions, you may have found yellow widelip orchid! | |||||||||
