Pogonia ophioglossoides (L.) Ker Gawl.
Rose pogonia, snakemouth orchid
Rose pogonia is a perennial orchid, native to central and eastern North America. It is rare but not endangered over much of its range.
Plants: 1½–28″ (4–70 cm) tall, occurring sometimes in colonies.
Leaves: A single clasping leaf appears midway up the stem. It is 1½–4 ⨉ ¾″ (3.8–10 ⨉ 1.9 cm).
Flowers: One, rarely two, or very rarely three flowers top each stalk. Flowers are pink, or rarely white. The labellum, or lip, has jagged (lacerate) edges and a “beard” comprised of several rows of dark pink, yellow, or purple hairs. It is ⅜–⅞″ (1.2–2.5 cm) long. Sepals are ½–⅞″ (1.4–2.3 cm) long. There is an erect upper sepal, and two petals forming a hood. Flowers appear from June to August.
Fruits: An erect capsule up to 1″ (2.5 cm) long.
Habitats: Bogs, fens, prairies, meadows, woodlands, swamps, and along river or pond edges.
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Similar species in similar habitats. |
Online References:
Pogonia ophioglossoides (L.) Ker Gawl. var. brachypogon Fernald
6/20/2021 · Heath, Cathance River Nature Preserve, Highland Green, Topsham, Maine · ≈ 3½ × 4″ (9.1 × 10 cm) 
6/20/2021 · Heath, Cathance River Nature Preserve, Highland Green, Topsham, Maine 
6/19/2021 · Long Reach Preserve, Harpswell, Maine 
6/20/2021 · Heath, Cathance River Nature Preserve, Highland Green, Topsham, Maine · ≈ 5 × 8″ (13 × 20 cm) 
6/20/2021 · Heath, Cathance River Nature Preserve, Highland Green, Topsham, Maine · ≈ 3½ × 4″ (9.1 × 10 cm) 
6/30/2025 · Buck's Ledge Community Forest, Bethel, Maine · ≈ 3 × 4″ (8.4 × 9.9 cm) 
6/20/2021 · Heath, Cathance River Nature Preserve, Highland Green, Topsham, Maine · ≈ 4 × 6″ (10 × 15 cm) 
6/20/2021 · Heath, Cathance River Nature Preserve, Highland Green, Topsham, Maine · ≈ 2½ × 2½″ (6.8 × 6.8 cm) 
6/18/2021 · Long Reach Preserve, Harpswell, Maine · By Priscilla Seimer 
6/19/2021 · Long Reach Preserve, Harpswell, Maine 
6/30/2025 · Buck's Ledge Community Forest, Bethel, Maine · ≈ 2½ × 3″ (6.4 × 7.8 cm) 
6/20/2021 · Heath, Cathance River Nature Preserve, Highland Green, Topsham, Maine 
Preserved by the Frenchman Bay Conservancy · 6/27/2011 · Hancock County, Maine · By Susan Cole Kelly 
| Kingdom | Plantae | Plants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae (from Stearn's Botanical Latin) |
| Subkingdom | Tracheobionta | Vascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients |
| Division | Magnoliophyta | Flowering plants, also known as angiosperms |
| Class | Liliopsida | Monocots (plants with a single seed leaf); includes the lily family |
| Subclass | Liliidae | Includes lilies, orchids, and many others |
| Order | Asparagales | A diverse group that includes asparagus |
| Family | Orchidaceae | Orchid family |
| Genus | Pogonia | From the Greek pogonias, “bearded,” for the fringed lip |
| Species | ophioglossoides | From orphis, “snake,” glassa “tongue,” and eidos, “like”: resembling an Ophioglossum (the adder’s tongue fern, whose leaf somewhat resembles that of this orchid) |
Pogonia ophioglossoides description by Thomas H. Kent, not updated.
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