Home/Species/ Loesel's Twayblade

Liparis loeselii

(L.) L.C. Rich.

Loesel's Twayblade

G5Secure Found in 7 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →

G5SecureGlobal Rank

Identity

Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.146901

Element CodePMORC1M040

Record TypeSPECIES

ClassificationSpecies

Classification StatusStandard

Name CategoryVascular Plant

CITESAppendix II

Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations

KingdomPlantae

PhylumAnthophyta

ClassMonocotyledoneae

OrderOrchidales

FamilyOrchidaceae

GenusLiparis

Other Common Names

Liparis de Loesel (FR) Yellow Wide-lip Orchid (EN) yellow widelip 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

Rank MethodExpertise without calculation

Review Date2016-06-30

Change Date1984-04-16

Edition Date1998-05-19

Edition AuthorsGRIES, D

Rank Reasons

Liparis loeselii is widespread in the northeastern United States, occurring north to Nova Scotia, south to Alabama, and to the midwest. It is rare and disjunct in British Columbia and Washington.

Range Extent Comments

Nova Scotia to Alabama, west very sporadically to Saskatchewan, North Dakota, and Iowa (Washington Natural Heritage Program, 1981). Disjunct in Washington, Klickitat and San Juan Counties (Washington Natural Heritage Program, 1997). In British Columbia, known only from Mara Meadows Ecological Reserve (Douglas, 1989).

Threat Impact Comments

Somewhat threatened by land-use conversion, habitat fragmentation, and forest management practices; unknown causes of decline appear to be a factor as well (Southern Appalachian Species Viability Project 2002).

Ecology & Habitat

Description

Loesel's Twaydlade is a glabrous, herbaceous perennial with naked stems that are up to 15 cm high arising from a bulb-like base. The two nearly erect, narrowly elliptic basal leaves are 5-15 cm long and have a broad petiole and a thickened midrib. Several flowers are borne on short stalks at the tops of the stem. Each white to greenish flower has 3 narrowly lance-shaped sepals that are 5-7 mm long, 2 nearly linear petals, and a strap-shaped lip petal that is 4-5 mm long and narrowed at the base. The petals and sepals are united together at the top of the curved, club-shaped ovary. The fruit is a narrowly elliptic capsule with numerous dust-like seeds.

Diagnostic Characteristics

L. LOESELII might be confused with species of HABENARIA, but flowers of the latter have a tubular spur and lack a short stalk. In addition, HABENARIA species that occur in our fens have leafy stems. Species of LISTERA usually do not occur in fens, and their two leaves are attached to the stem rather than being basal.

Other Nations (2)

CanadaN4

Province	Rank	Native
Ontario	S4	Yes
New Brunswick	S3	Yes
Island of Newfoundland	S1	Yes
Saskatchewan	S3	Yes
Manitoba	S3	Yes
Alberta	S2	Yes
Prince Edward Island	S3	Yes
British Columbia	S3	Yes
Quebec	S3	Yes
Nova Scotia	S3	Yes
Northwest Territories	S2	Yes

United StatesNNR

Province	Rank	Native
New Hampshire	S2	Yes
District of Columbia	SX	Yes
North Carolina	S1	Yes
Georgia	S1	Yes
Connecticut	SNR	Yes
Alabama	S1	Yes
Kentucky	S2	Yes
North Dakota	S2	Yes
Kansas	S1	Yes
South Dakota	S1	Yes
Rhode Island	S1	Yes
Indiana	S3	Yes
Virginia	S2	Yes
Arkansas	S1	Yes
Massachusetts	S2	Yes
Tennessee	S1	Yes
Wisconsin	SNR	Yes
Ohio	SNR	Yes
Iowa	S3	Yes
Pennsylvania	SNR	Yes
Nebraska	S1	Yes
Michigan	SNR	Yes
Vermont	S3	Yes
Missouri	S2	Yes
New York	S4	Yes
Maryland	S1	Yes
Washington	SH	Yes
Maine	SNR	Yes
West Virginia	S2	Yes
New Jersey	S4	Yes
Montana	S2	Yes
Minnesota	SNR	Yes
Illinois	S1	Yes

Plant Characteristics

Economic Value (Genus)No

Roadless Areas (7)

Montana (2)

Area	Forest	Acres
Bear - Marshall - Scapegoat - Swan	Lewis and Clark National Forest	344,022
Bmss Ra 1485	Flathead National Forest	334,275

West Virginia (4)

Area	Forest	Acres
Cheat Mountain	Monongahela National Forest	8,191
Cranberry Addition	Monongahela National Forest	11,123
Cranberry Glades Botanical Area	Monongahela National Forest	785
Turkey Mountain	Monongahela National Forest	6,421

Wisconsin (1)

Area	Forest	Acres
09182 - Pentoga Road	Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest	5,008

References (6)

Douglas, G.W., G.B. Straley, and D. Meidinger. 1989. The vascular plants of British Columbia. Part 1. Gymnosperms and Dicotyledons (Asteraceae through Cucurbitaceae). Crown Publications Incorporated. Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. 208 pp.
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.
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.
Washington Natural Heritage Program. 1981. An illustrated guide to the endangered, threatened and sensitive vascular plants of Washington. Washington Natural Heritage Program, Olympia. 328 pp.
Washington Natural Heritage Program. 1997. Endangered, Threatened and Sensitive Vascular Plants of Washington - with Working Lists of Rare Non-Vascular Species. Department of Natural Resources. Olympia. 62 p.
Weakley, A.S. 1997. Flora of the Carolinas and Virginia: working draft of 21 July 1997. The Nature Conservancy, Southeast Regional Office, Southern Conservation Science Dept., Chapel Hill, North Carolina.