Calopogon pallidus Chapm.

Pale Grass Pink

Herb

Perennial

Vascular

Pale Grass Pink is a native perennial in the Orchid family (Orchidaceae). It is found in the southern-most counties in Alabama. Pale Grass Pink grows in bogs, wet pinelands, and seeps. Plants are perennial from a globose or elongated corm (a short vertical underground stem). Stems are 1-2 feet in height. There is 1 or rarely 2 linear, grass-like leaves. Flowers are produced in racemes with 3-20 flowers per raceme. The flowers are approximately ½ inch apart on the raceme. Flowers open sequentially from the base to apex of the raceme, with 1-3 flowers open at any one time. At 1 inch in length, the flowers are the smallest of our Grass Pink species. Flower color ranges from pale pink or purple through white. The lateral sepals reflex backwards and the petals tend to reflex forward. The flowers are slightly fragrant. The fruit is a capsule with many dust-like seed. As with all native orchids, you should not dig or pick them. This is our smallest flowered species of Grass Pink. It also flowers later than our other species, and flowers for a longer period of time.--A. Diamond

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Native OBL (NWPL)

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