Galearis rotundifolia

(Banks ex Pursh) R.M. Bateman

Roundleaf Orchid

G5Secure Found in 9 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
UnknownThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.127910
Element CodePMORC01010
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
CITESAppendix II
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassMonocotyledoneae
OrderOrchidales
FamilyOrchidaceae
GenusGalearis
Synonyms
Amerorchis rotundifolia(Banks ex Pursh) HultenOrchis rotundifoliaBanks ex Pursh
Other Common Names
Orchis à feuille ronde (FR) roundleaf orchid (EN) Roundleaf Orchis (EN) Small Round-leaved 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.
Taxonomic Comments
Sometimes treated as Orchis rotundifolia or in the monotypic genus Amerorchis. The taxon now considered in the genus Galearis (Bateman et al. 2009).
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2025-06-26
Change Date1984-02-09
Edition Date2025-06-26
Edition AuthorsN. Ventrella (2025)
Threat ImpactUnknown
Range Extent>2,500,000 square km (greater than 1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences> 300
Rank Reasons
Galearis rotundifolia is an orchid occurring in moist coniferous forests, fens, and tundra habitats of northern North America, from Alaska and northern Canada east through Newfoundland, south to Maine, and west through Minnesota, Montana, and Wyoming in the United States. It is also occurred historically in Vermont, New York, and New Hampshire. There are over 800 estimated occurrences of this taxon rangewide, which are threatened by changes to hydrology, logging, invasive species, deer browse, recreation, and illegal collection. Little is known about threats and trends, but with a large range extent, high number of occurrences, abundant habitat, broad habitat preferences, and no obvious intrinsic vulnerabilities, this species is considered secure.
Range Extent Comments
Galearis rotundifolia occurs in northern North America, from Alaska and northern Canada east through Newfoundland, south to New York (where it is considered extirpated), and west through Minnesota, Montana, and Wyoming in the United States (FNA 2002, NAOCC 2025). It is also considered historical in Vermont and New Hampshire (Native Plant Trust 2025). The range extent was estimated to be over 12 million square kilometers using herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data collected between 1994 and 2025 (GBIF 2025, iNaturalist 2025, NatureServe 2025, RARECAT 2025, SEINet 2025).
Occurrences Comments
By applying a 1 km separation distance to herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data documented between 1994 and 2025, it is estimated that there are more than 800 occurrences rangewide (GBIF 2025, iNaturalist 2025, NatureServe 2025, RARECAT 2025, SEINet 2025).
Threat Impact Comments
Threats to roundleaf orchid are not well documented, but include changes to hydrology, logging, invasive species, deer browse, recreation, and illegal collection (NatureServe 2025). There is insufficient data, including anecdotal accounts, to understand the scope and severity of threats for this taxon.
Ecology & Habitat

Description

Round-leaved Orchis is a glabrous, rhizomatous perennial with a single sub-basal leaf and a stem 10-20 cm tall. Leaf is elliptic to orbicular with a rounded tip, and is up to 10 cm long. The few to several flowers terminate the stem in a narrow inflorescence. There are 3 white to pale pink sepals. The upper is hood-shaped, 6-10 mm long, and slightly larger than the lateral ones; the 2 upper petals are narrowly lance-shaped. The large, lower petal (lip) is up to 9 mm long, white, spotted with purple, and deeply 3-lobed with a pair of lateral lobes and a notched lower one. The capsule is elliptic and contains thousands of tiny seeds.

Diagnostic Characteristics

This species is easy to recognize by the single leaf and distinctive flower. CALYPSO BULBOSA also has a single leaf but the pink flowers are solitary and much larger.

Habitat

Galearis rotundifolia occurs in "moist, often calcareous coniferous forests, thickets, fens, [and] tundra from 0-1200 m in elevation (FNA 2002). It is usually associated with high-pH swamps and fens, often growing under or near Northern White Cedar (Thuja occidentalis) (NAOCC 2025).
Terrestrial Habitats
Forest - ConiferTundra
Palustrine Habitats
FORESTED WETLANDBog/fen
Other Nations (2)
United StatesN5
ProvinceRankNative
AlaskaSNRYes
New HampshireSHYes
VermontSHYes
MontanaS3Yes
New YorkSXYes
MichiganS1Yes
MaineS2Yes
WisconsinS1Yes
WyomingS1Yes
MinnesotaS3Yes
CanadaN5
ProvinceRankNative
QuebecS3Yes
OntarioS4Yes
NunavutS2Yes
Yukon TerritoryS4Yes
SaskatchewanS4Yes
New BrunswickS2Yes
AlbertaS5Yes
Northwest TerritoriesS4Yes
British ColumbiaS5Yes
Island of NewfoundlandS2Yes
ManitobaS5Yes
Threat Assessments

Plant Characteristics
DurationPERENNIAL
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (9)
Montana (3)
AreaForestAcres
Bear - Marshall - Scapegoat - SwanLewis and Clark National Forest344,022
Marston Face # 172Kootenai National Forest9,098
Thompson Seton #483Kootenai National Forest29,379
Wisconsin (3)
AreaForestAcres
09177 - Le Roy CreekChequamegon-Nicolet National Forest8,138
09180 - Perch LakeChequamegon-Nicolet National Forest2,390
09181 - FoursectionChequamegon-Nicolet National Forest2,037
Wyoming (3)
AreaForestAcres
Beartooth Proposed WildernessShoshone National Forest16,837
ReefShoshone National Forest16,817
South Beartooth HighwayShoshone National Forest105,570
References (11)
  1. Bateman, R.M., K.E. James, Y-B Luo, R.K. Lauri, T. Fulcher, P.J. Cribb, and M.W. Chase. 2009. Molecular phylogenetics and morphological reappraisal of the <i>Platanthera</i> clade (Orchidaceae: Orchidinae) prompts expansion of the generic limits of <i>Galearis</i> and <i>Platanthera.</i> Ann. Bot. 104(3):431-445.
  2. 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.
  3. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). 2025. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) data portal. Online. Available: https://www.gbif.org/ (accessed 2025).
  4. iNaturalist. 2025. Online. Available: https://www.inaturalist.org (accessed 2025).
  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.
  6. Native Plant Trust. 2025. Go Botany website. Online. Available: https://gobotany.nativeplanttrust.org (accessed 2025).
  7. NatureServe. 2025. NatureServe Network Biodiversity Location Data. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia.
  8. North American Orchid Conservation Center (NAOCC). 2025. Go Orchids. Online. Available: http://goorchids.northamericanorchidcenter.org/ (accessed 2025).
  9. <p>NatureServe's Rapid Analysis of Rarity and Endangerment Conservation Assessment Tool (RARECAT). 2025. Version: 2.1.1 (released April 04, 2025).</p>
  10. Shelly, J. S. 1988f. Status review of <i>Orchis </i>[<i>Amerorchis</i>] <i>rotundifolia</i>. U.S. Forest Service, Region 1, Flathead and Lewis and Clark National Forests, Montana. Unpublished report. Montana Natural Heritage Program, Helena, MT. 59 pp.
  11. Southwest Environmental Information Network (SEINet). 2025. Collections Databases. Online. Available: https://swbiodiversity.org/seinet/collections/index.php (accessed 2025).