Hammarbya paludosa [Bod Adder's Mouth]
The tiny flower of the Bog Adder's Mouth [Hammarbya paludosa]. Clearwater County, Mn. 7-11-24
My trip to Minnesota was made specifically for one reason, to see the Bog Adder's Mouth Orchid [Hammarbya paludosa]. "It is considered one of the rarest orchids in North America, if not the rarest. It was not known in North America until it was discovered in Alaska in 1895 and wasn't known to be in the lower 48 states until it was found in Minnesota in 1904. Minnesota is the only state south of Canada where it is known to exist. It was listed as a Endangered Species in 1984." "Besides being pollinated and producing fruit, Asexual reproduction occurs by way of propagules [gemmae] that sometimes form on leaf tips and eventually drop off, starting new plants." This was the first time that I could not see a flower with my naked eye and depended entirely on my 100 mm macro lens for studying and observation, as it is also one of the tiniest, if not the tiniest orchids in the U.S. A total of four plants were found at this one small location. Clearwater County, Minnesota. 7-11-24
The tiny flower of the Bog Adder's Mouth [Hammarbya paludosa]. Clearwater County, Mn. 7-11-24
One of my favorite pictures of a recent trip to Minnesota, showing two Bog Adder's Mouth Orchids [Hammarbya paludosa, foreground] with a Green Adder's Mouth Orchid [Malaxis unifolia] in the background, and habitat. Clearwater County, Mn. 7-11-24. I have seen a few M. unifiolia here in Pennsylvania, but in this area they were everywhere as far as the eye could see poking out of the sphagumn moss, imagine a carpet of Green Adder's Mouth, and much more robust plants than I have ever seen before.
My trip to Minnesota was made specifically for one reason, to see the Bog Adder's Mouth Orchid [Hammarbya paludosa]. "It is considered one of the rarest orchids in North America, if not the rarest. It was not known in North America until it was discovered in Alaska in 1895 and wasn't known to be in the lower 48 states until it was found in Minnesota in 1904. Minnesota is the only state south of Canada where it is known to exist. It was listed as a Endangered Species in 1984." "Besides being pollinated and producing fruit, Asexual reproduction occurs by way of propagules [gemmae] that sometimes form on leaf tips and eventually drop off, starting new plants." This was the first time that I could not see a flower with my naked eye and depended entirely on my 100 mm macro lens for studying and observation, as it is also one of the tiniest, if not the tiniest orchids in the U.S. A total of four plants were found at this one small location. Clearwater County, Minnesota. 7-11-24
My trip to Minnesota was made specifically for one reason, to see the Bog Adder's Mouth Orchid [Hammarbya paludosa]. "It is considered one of the rarest orchids in North America, if not the rarest. It was not known in North America until it was discovered in Alaska in 1895 and wasn't known to be in the lower 48 states until it was found in Minnesota in 1904. Minnesota is the only state south of Canada where it is known to exist. It was listed as a Endangered Species in 1984." "Besides being pollinated and producing fruit, Asexual reproduction occurs by way of propagules [gemmae] that sometimes form on leaf tips and eventually drop off, starting new plants." This was the first time that I could not see a flower with my naked eye and depended entirely on my 100 mm macro lens for studying and observation, as it is also one of the tiniest, if not the tiniest orchids in the U.S. A total of four plants were found at this one small location. Clearwater County, Minnesota. 7-11-24
My trip to Minnesota was made specifically for one reason, to see the Bog Adder's Mouth Orchid [Hammarbya paludosa]. "It is considered one of the rarest orchids in North America, if not the rarest. It was not known in North America until it was discovered in Alaska in 1895 and wasn't known to be in the lower 48 states until it was found in Minnesota in 1904. Minnesota is the only state south of Canada where it is known to exist. It was listed as a Endangered Species in 1984." "Besides being pollinated and producing fruit, Asexual reproduction occurs by way of propagules [gemmae] that sometimes form on leaf tips and eventually drop off, starting new plants." This was the first time that I could not see a flower with my naked eye and depended entirely on my 100 mm macro lens for studying and observation, as it is also one of the tiniest, if not the tiniest orchids in the U.S. A total of four plants were found at this one small location. Clearwater County, Minnesota. 7-11-24