Neottia bifolia (Raf.) Baumbach

Southern Twayblade; Long Lip Twayblade

Herb

Perennial

Vascular

Southern Twayblade is a native perennial in the Orchid family (Orchidaceae). It can be found throughout Alabama. Southern Twayblade grows in wet hardwood or hardwood/pine forests, along streams, and in seeps. It grows from 3-10 inches tall, with most plants closer to 3 inches in height. The stem is purple or green in color, glabrous, and somewhat succulent. Two opposite ovate or elliptic leaves occur on the stem. The leaves have entire margins. Flowers are produced in terminal racemes of 5-25 flowers. The flowers are greenish or reddish in color. The recurved petals and sepals are approximately 1 mm in length, except for the lip. The lip petal is split into two linear-lanceolate lobes that are up to ½ inch long. The fruit is an ovoid capsule with many minute seed. The perianth parts persist on the developing capsule. Southern Twayblade is a small non-showy plant that is easily over looked. It may be more common than records suggest. It can often be found associated with sphagnum moss, Cinnamon fern (Osmundastrum cinnamomeum (Linnaeus) C. Presl), and Royal Fern (Osmunda spectabilis Willdenow). Some groups such as the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, and the American Orchid Society refer to this species by the name Neottia bifolia (Raf.) Baumbach. Southern Twayblade is listed as an S2 species in Alabama (typically 6 to 20 occurrences, few remaining individuals, acres, or miles of stream, or factors demonstrably making it very vulnerable in the state), and globally as a G4 species (imperiled globally because of rarity (6 - 20 occurrences, or few remaining acres, or miles of stream) or very vulnerable to extinction throughout its range because of other factors). As many of our native orchids are, Southern Twayblade is difficult to grow in cultivation. Plants form an association with a fungus that acts as an accessory root system, supplying the orchid with water and nutrients. Do not pick or try to transplant any of our native orchids.--A. Diamond

This species has traditionally been treated as Listera australis Lindley. Listera, an assemblage of autotroph taxa, were found to be phylogenetically nested within the mycotrophic genus of Neottia and thus transferred to that genus as treated here. --B.R. Keener

Native FACW (NWPL) S2 (State Rank) G4 (Global Rank)

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