Home/Species/ Green-fly Orchid

Epidendrum conopseum

Ait. f.

Green-fly Orchid

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G4Apparently SecureGlobal Rank

Identity

Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.135828

Element CodePMORC10050

Record TypeSPECIES

ClassificationSpecies

Classification StatusStandard

Name CategoryVascular Plant

CITESAppendix II

KingdomPlantae

PhylumAnthophyta

ClassMonocotyledoneae

OrderOrchidales

FamilyOrchidaceae

GenusEpidendrum

Synonyms

Epidendrum magnoliaeMuhl.

Other Common Names

green fly orchid (EN)

Concept Reference

Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.

Conservation Status

Review Date1995-11-07

Change Date1995-11-07

Edition Date1994-12-07

Edition AuthorsK. Lutz (TNC-GA), rev. A. Wildman (94-12-07) and Jennifer Snyder (95-06-30) (TNC-HO)

Range Extent>2,500,000 square km (greater than 1,000,000 square miles)

Rank Reasons

One of the most widespread orchids of North America (including Mexico), but uncommon in much of its range and in some areas threatened by commercial collecting.

Range Extent Comments

According to Correll (1978) it is the northernmost epiphytic orchid in North America; in the United States, it is local and rare from Columbus County in southeastern North Carolina becoming more frequent southward along the Atlantic seaboard to south-central and west Florida, locally along the Gulf Coast to southeastern Louisiana (west to Calcasieu Parish). In Mexico, E. conopseum var. mexicanum is local but widespread all the way to the Pacific watershed (Luer 1972).

This plant has been found in scattered localities in the coastal plain of Georgia. The random distribution is attributed to lack of collecting in the southern portion of the state and to habitat destruction.

Threat Impact Comments

Threatened by habitat destruction such as clearing and draining swamps and by overcollecting by horticulturalists and hobbyists. Forest management practices are also reported to be a threat (Southern Appalachian Species Viability Project 2002).

Ecology & Habitat

Diagnostic Characteristics

This is the only epiphytic orchid occurring north of Florida. Often quite inconspicuous. The lip is shallowly 3-lobed, the mid-lobe broad; floral stem is racemose.

Habitat

Plants are commonly perched high on the limbs of deciduous trees in hammocks, low woods, and cypress swamps along the coast. Large colonies often occur (Luer 1972).

Ecology

Epidendrum conopseum is frost-resistant and is the only epiphytic orchid which occurs north of Florida (Luer 1972). It requires a growing environment that is semi-shaded, with constant moisture present. It is often found growing among Polypodium polypodioides (resurrection fern) due to the moisture-holding characteristics of the fern (Howard 1980). The plant can also be found growing primarily on southern magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora) and live oak (Quercus virginiana), as well as beech (Fagus grandifolia), sweet gum (Liquidambar styraciflua), ironwood (Carpinus caroliniana), red maple (Acer rubrum), bald cypress (Taxodium distichum), red cedar (Juniperus virginiana), and species of gum (Nyssa spp.). (Correll 1978)

Reproduction

Some monoecy and dioecy, but not in North America. Flowers are fragrant and sometimes have a purplish tint, but are for the most part dull yellow-green (Luer 1972). Seed pods are microscopic but numerous, with the number of seeds per pod ranging into the thousands (Howard 1980). New growth ascends from a short rhizome, usually in the spring, and attains maturity in autumn (Luer 1972).

Palustrine Habitats

FORESTED WETLANDBog/fenRiparian

Other Nations (1)

United StatesN3

Province	Rank	Native
Louisiana	SNR	Yes
North Carolina	S1	Yes
Alabama	S3	Yes
Georgia	S3	Yes
Florida	S4	Yes
South Carolina	S3	Yes
Mississippi	S2	Yes

Plant Characteristics

DurationPERENNIAL, FLOWERING YEAR-ROUND

Economic Value (Genus)No

Roadless Areas (2)

Florida (2)

Area	Forest	Acres
Alexander Springs Creek	Ocala National Forest	2,954
Savannah	Apalachicola National Forest	1,927

References (6)

Correll, D.S. 1950 [1978]. Native orchids of North America north of Mexico. Stanford Univ. Press, Stanford, California. 400 pp.
Flora of North America Editorial Committee (FNA). 2002a. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 26. Magnoliophyta: Liliidae: Liliales and Orchidales. Oxford Univ. Press, New York. xxvi + 723 pp.
Howard, R. P. 1980. <i>Epidendrum conopseum</i>: Appreciating Florida's most widespread native orchid. The Florida Naturalist, July-September 1980:4-5.
Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
Luer, C. A. 1972. The native orchids of Florida. New York Botanical Garden, New York. 293 pp.
Southern Appalachian Species Viability Project. 2002. A partnership between the U.S. Forest Service-Region 8, Natural Heritage Programs in the Southeast, NatureServe, and independent scientists to develop and review data on 1300+ regionally and locally rare species in the Southern Appalachian and Alabama region. Database (Access 97) provided to the U.S. Forest Service by NatureServe, Durham, North Carolina.