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| flower in April--orchids have amazing flowers!! In
this flower you can see three sepals (forming a kind of a cross) and three
petals (two on the top that are similar, and one on the bottom which is
called a lip or labellum). This structure is typical of orchids. |
flowers from the side |
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| another flower, showing the ovary (the long curved
structure that looks like a pedicel)--is this ovary superior or inferior? |
flower closeup--the green and yellow structure in the
middle is called the column, and it is formed from a fusion of style,
stigma, and stamens. |
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| another view of the column--the yellow structure in the
column is one of the two pollinia, or pollen sacs |
flower buds |
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| habit--Epipactis gigantea, like most orchids, is
an herbaceous perennial. This particular species is a terrestrial
orchid, rather than an epiphytic one. It grows near streams and
creeks. |
leaf--orchids are monocots! |
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| leaf underside, showing parallel venation |
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