Part 42

Continental Range—From Alaska, southward to Sierra Nevada Mountains in the Pacific region; and New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, in the Atlantic region. It appears to be more of a northern plant than L. convallarioides.

New England Range—Maine, common; New Hampshire, common; Vermont, common; Massachusetts, infrequent; Rhode Island, rare; Connecticut, rare.

VIII

Peramium

Salisbury, 1812

(Goodyera R. Brown, 1813)

RATTLESNAKE PLANTAIN

The origin of the generic name, Peramium, is not given in the original description. It may come from Ammon, Amen, the Egyptian Sun-God of Life, since to the blotched leaves of this genus the Indians attribute great powers, as a remedy against the deadly amniotic poison received from the rattlesnake’s bite.

Orchids with erect bracted scapes, and fleshy-fibrous roots. =Anther= 1. =Labellum= concave, or sessile roundish-ovate. Lower =sepals= free, upper one united with petals into a galea. =Flowers= in densely-flowered, or 1-sided bracted spikes. =Anther= erect, attached to column, without a lid. =Pollinia= 2, 1 in each anther-sac, composed of angular grains attached to small disk, cohering with top of stigma. =Stems= or =scapes= bracted, 5-20 inches high. =Leaves= several, basal, blotched, with beautiful network of white, green or yellow, resembling a snake’s skin. =Seed-capsule= erect, nearly always maturing. =Seedlings= abundant in conifer shades.

Continental Range—From Alaska, southward to Florida; westward to Minnesota and California. There are 25 or more species of this genus ranging in the temperate and tropical regions of the world.

North American species north of Mexico 5 New England species 4 Hoosac Valley species 3-4

New England species:

1. P. repens (Linnæus) Salisbury, 1753-1812. 2. P. pubescens (Willdenow) MacMillan, 1805-1892. 3. P. Menziesii (Lindley) Morong, 1840-1894. 4. P. ophioides (Fernald) Rydberg, 1899-1901.

1.—PERAMIUM REPENS (Linnæus) Salisbury, 1753-1812

SMALL ONE-SIDED GOODYERA—NET-LEAF RATTLESNAKE PLANTAIN

The specific name, repens, refers to the creeping roots of this species.

Small conifer, woodland orchid, with fleshy-fibrous roots. July 19th-August 5th-30th.

=Flowers= white, on 1-sided spike, ⅙-¼ inch long. =Labellum= saccate, recurved, narrowed at apex; column short. =Stem= 5-10 inches high. =Leaves= ovate, basal in a rosette, pointed, yellowish-green, ½-1¼ inch long, ⅓-⅔ inch wide, blotched with white or lighter yellowish-green; several bracts above. This species intergrades with other New England species of Peramium, so as to make their designation difficult in many stations.

Continental Range—From Nova Scotia, possibly Alaska (?), southward to Florida; westward to Minnesota, South Dakota, and Colorado. Ascends 5000 feet altitude in Virginia.

New England Range—Maine, common; New Hampshire, common; Vermont, common; Massachusetts, infrequent; Rhode Island, very rare; Connecticut, rare.

2.—PERAMIUM PUBESCENS (Willdenow) MacMillan, 1805-1892

DOWNY RATTLESNAKE PLANTAIN—CANKER-ROOT

The specific name, pubescens, refers to the hirsute or downy leaves and scape of this species.

Small conifer woodland orchid, with fleshy-fibrous roots. June 15 Virginia (Curtiss); May 8th Wisconsin; July 4th-September, New England.

=Flowers= greenish-white, in densely-flowered (not 1-sided) spike. =Labellum= saccate, apex recurved, obtuse. Lateral sepals ovate; =petals= and upper sepal arching in an ovate galea. =Stem= 6-20 inches high, clothed with hairs, much more hirsute, or downy, than P. repens. =Leaves= basal, in a rosette, 1-2 inches long, strongly blotched with greenish-white, 5-10 scales above. The Creeping Goodyera (P. repens) intergrades with this species and causes confusion in designation. P. pubescens spikes are not 1-sided, the rosette of leaves are of a bluer velvety green, blotched with a purer white network, while P. repens rosette of leaves is dull yellowish-green.

Continental Range—From Ontario, Newfoundland, southward to Florida; westward to Minnesota. Ascends 4000 feet altitude in North Carolina.

New England Range—Maine, common; New Hampshire, common; Vermont, common; Massachusetts, frequent; Rhode Island, rare; Connecticut, common.

3.—PERAMIUM MENZIESII (Lindley) Morong, 1840-1894