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Tipularia discolor

(Pursh) Nutt.

Cranefly Orchid

G5Secure Found in 88 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
UnknownThreat Impact
Cranefly Orchid (Tipularia discolor). Photo by powejx, CC BY-NC 4.0, via iNaturalist.
powejx, CC BY-NC 4.0
Cranefly Orchid (Tipularia discolor). Photo by powejx, CC BY-NC 4.0, via iNaturalist.
powejx, CC BY-NC 4.0
Cranefly Orchid (Tipularia discolor). Photo by Jodi Williams, CC BY-NC 4.0, via iNaturalist.
Jodi Williams, CC BY-NC 4.0
Cranefly Orchid (Tipularia discolor). Photo by Jodi Williams, CC BY-NC 4.0, via iNaturalist.
Jodi Williams, CC BY-NC 4.0
Cranefly Orchid (Tipularia discolor). Photo by Jodi Williams, CC BY-NC 4.0, via iNaturalist.
Jodi Williams, CC BY-NC 4.0
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.157792
Element CodePMORC2E010
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
CITESAppendix II
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassMonocotyledoneae
OrderOrchidales
FamilyOrchidaceae
GenusTipularia
Other Common Names
Crippled Cranefly (EN) crippled cranefly (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 Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2024-05-03
Change Date2024-05-03
Edition Date2024-05-03
Edition AuthorsEberly (2024)
Threat ImpactUnknown
Range Extent>2,500,000 square km (greater than 1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences> 300
Rank Reasons
Tipularia discolor is a terrestrial orchid of the eastern North America, in the eastern United States and southern Canada in Ontario. Threats include lack of fire leading to succession, invasive species, deer herbivory, logging, sea level rise, feral hogs and horses, recreation (including off-road vehicles), development, and likely other threats in some places. With a large range extent, thousands of occurrences, and broad habitat preferences for abundant habitat, this species is considered secure.
Range Extent Comments
Tipularia discolor occurs in eastern North America from southern Ontario in Canada and throughout much of the eastern United States, as far north as Massachusetts and New York. Range extent was estimated using herbarium specimens and photo-based observations documented between 1993 and 2024 (GBIF 2024, iNaturalist 2024).
Occurrences Comments
By applying a 1 km separation distance to herbarium records and photo-based observations documented between 1993 and 2024, it is estimated that there are thousands of occurrences rangewide (GBIF 2024, iNaturalist 2024, SEINet 2024).
Threat Impact Comments
Threats to Tipularia discolor are not well documented but include lack of fire leading to succession, invasive species, deer herbivory, logging, sea level rise, feral hogs and horses, recreation (including off-road vehicles), development, and likely other threats in some places (NatureServe 2024). There is insufficient data, including anecdotal accounts, to understand the scope and severity of threats for this taxon.
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

This species grows in moist to dry soils, often sandy, of forest and woodlands (FNA 2002a, Weakley and Southeastern Flora Team 2023).
Terrestrial Habitats
Forest/WoodlandWoodland - Hardwood
Other Nations (2)
CanadaN1
ProvinceRankNative
OntarioS1Yes
United StatesN5
ProvinceRankNative
VirginiaS4Yes
MississippiSNRYes
OhioSNRYes
North CarolinaS5Yes
AlabamaSNRYes
New JerseyS4Yes
MissouriS3Yes
West VirginiaS4Yes
ArkansasSNRYes
GeorgiaS5Yes
OklahomaS2Yes
FloridaS4Yes
TennesseeSNRYes
KentuckyS5Yes
PennsylvaniaS4Yes
LouisianaSNRYes
New YorkS1Yes
IllinoisS1Yes
IndianaSNRYes
MarylandSNRYes
MichiganS1Yes
TexasSNRYes
South CarolinaS5Yes
District of ColumbiaSNRYes
DelawareS5Yes
MassachusettsS1Yes
ConnecticutS1Yes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
1 - Residential & commercial developmentUnknownUnknownUnknown
5 - Biological resource useUnknownUnknownUnknown
5.3 - Logging & wood harvestingUnknownUnknownUnknown
5.3.5 - Motivation unknown/unrecordedUnknownUnknownUnknown
6 - Human intrusions & disturbanceUnknownUnknownUnknown
6.1 - Recreational activitiesUnknownUnknownUnknown
7 - Natural system modificationsUnknownUnknownUnknown
7.1 - Fire & fire suppressionUnknownUnknownUnknown
7.1.2 - Suppression in fire frequency/intensityUnknownUnknownUnknown
8 - Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseasesUnknownUnknownUnknown
8.1 - Invasive non-native/alien species/diseasesUnknownUnknownUnknown
8.1.1 - Unspecified speciesUnknownUnknownUnknown
8.2 - Problematic native species/diseasesUnknownUnknownUnknown
8.2.2 - Named speciesUnknownUnknownUnknown
11 - Climate change & severe weatherUnknownUnknownUnknown
11.5 - Other impactsUnknownUnknownUnknown

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Plant Characteristics
DurationPERENNIAL
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (88)
Alabama (3)
AreaForestAcres
Blue MountainTalladega National Forest4,986
Cheaha BTalladega National Forest741
Oakey MountainTalladega National Forest6,129
Arkansas (10)
AreaForestAcres
Bear MountainOuachita National Forest1,910
Blue MountainOuachita National Forest9,755
Brush HeapOuachita National Forest4,205
Clifty CanyonOzark-St. Francis National Forest1,963
Dismal CreekOzark-St. Francis National Forest9,160
East ForkOzark-St. Francis National Forest13,037
Gee CreekOzark-St. Francis National Forest7,957
Little BlakelyOuachita National Forest3,342
Pedestal RocksOzark-St. Francis National Forest21,957
PenhookOzark-St. Francis National Forest6,566
Georgia (10)
AreaForestAcres
Boggs CreekChattahoochee National Forest2,073
Cedar MountainChattahoochee National Forest1,083
Helton CreekChattahoochee National Forest2,348
Indian Grave GapChattahoochee National Forest1,020
Joe GapChattahoochee National Forest5,321
Kelly RidgeChattahoochee National Forest8,325
Lance CreekChattahoochee National Forest9,025
Pink KnobChattahoochee National Forest12,127
Rocky MountainChattahoochee National Forest4,269
Sarah's CreekChattahoochee National Forest6,888
Illinois (1)
AreaForestAcres
Ripple HollowShawnee National Forest3,788
Indiana (1)
AreaForestAcres
Mogan RidgeHoosier National Forest8,435
Kentucky (1)
AreaForestAcres
WolfpenDaniel Boone National Forest2,835
Louisiana (1)
AreaForestAcres
Saline Bayou W & S River CorridorKisatchie National Forest5,355
Missouri (1)
AreaForestAcres
Irish Rare II Study AreaMark Twain National Forest1,226
North Carolina (25)
AreaForestAcres
Bald MountainPisgah National Forest11,085
Balsam ConePisgah National Forest10,591
Barkers Creek (addition)Nantahala National Forest975
BearwallowPisgah National Forest4,113
Big Indian (addition)Nantahala National Forest1,155
Boteler PeakNantahala National Forest4,205
Catfish Lake NorthCroatan National Forest11,299
Cheoah BaldNantahala National Forest7,795
Chunky Gal (addition)Nantahala National Forest3,336
Dobson KnobPisgah National Forest6,111
Graveyard Ridge (addition)Pisgah National Forest1,958
Harper CreekPisgah National Forest7,325
Jarrett CreekPisgah National Forest7,485
Laurel MountainPisgah National Forest5,683
Linville Gorge AdditionPisgah National Forest2,809
Lost CovePisgah National Forest5,944
Mackey MountainPisgah National Forest5,934
Overflow CreekNantahala National Forest3,379
Sam Knob (addition)Pisgah National Forest2,576
Slide HollowPisgah National Forest193
South Mills RiverPisgah National Forest8,588
Tusquitee BaldNantahala National Forest13,670
Wilson CreekPisgah National Forest4,863
Woods MountainPisgah National Forest9,602
Yellowhammer Branch (add.)Nantahala National Forest1,255
Oklahoma (1)
AreaForestAcres
Beech CreekOuachita National Forest8,303
South Carolina (3)
AreaForestAcres
Big MountainSumter National Forest2,337
Ellicott Rock 1Sumter National Forest301
Ellicott Rock 2Sumter National Forest517
Tennessee (10)
AreaForestAcres
Bald MountainCherokee National Forest11,743
Brushy RidgeCherokee National Forest7,469
Devil's BackboneCherokee National Forest4,287
Flint Mill GapCherokee National Forest9,494
Rogers RidgeCherokee National Forest4,738
Sampson Mountain AdditionCherokee National Forest3,064
Slide HollowCherokee National Forest4,057
Stone MountainCherokee National Forest5,367
Sycamore CreekCherokee National Forest6,984
Upper Bald RiverCherokee National Forest9,202
Virginia (18)
AreaForestAcres
Adams PeakGeorge Washington National Forest7,135
Broad RunJefferson National Forest10,971
Brush MountainJefferson National Forest6,002
Brush Mountain EastJefferson National Forest4,916
Crawford MountainGeorge Washington National Forest9,892
Kelley MountainGeorge Washington National Forest7,590
Little RiverGeorge Washington National Forest27,292
Mountain Lake Addition AJefferson National Forest1,469
Mountain Lake Addition B (VA)Jefferson National Forest3,405
North MountainJefferson National Forest8,377
Northern MassanuttenGeorge Washington National Forest9,444
Raccoon BranchJefferson National Forest4,388
Seng MountainJefferson National Forest6,428
Shawvers Run AdditionJefferson National Forest1,927
Southern MassanuttenGeorge Washington National Forest11,985
The PriestGeorge Washington National Forest5,737
Three RidgesGeorge Washington National Forest4,745
Three SistersGeorge Washington National Forest8,149
West Virginia (3)
AreaForestAcres
Dry ForkMonongahela National Forest657
Mcgowan MountainMonongahela National Forest10,504
Mountain Lake Addition B (WV)Jefferson National Forest557
References (6)
  1. 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.
  2. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). 2024. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) data portal. Online. Available: https://www.gbif.org/ (accessed 2024).
  3. iNaturalist. 2024. Online. Available: https://www.inaturalist.org (accessed 2024).
  4. 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.
  5. NatureServe. 2024. NatureServe Network Biodiversity Location Data. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia.
  6. Weakley, A.S., and Southeastern Flora Team. 2023. Flora of the southeastern United States. Edition of April 14, 2023. University of North Carolina Herbarium (NCU), North Carolina Botanical Garden, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. 2105 pp.