NameThatPlant.net: Orthochilus ecristatus

Spermatophytes (seed plants): Angiosperms (flowering plants): Monocots: Asparagales

WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/14/23):
Orthochilus ecristatus FAMILY Orchidaceae Go to FSUS key

Dig deeper at SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria.

You may enjoy reading Orchids of the Francis Marion National Forest by Jim Fowler.

This odd orchid species has a wand-like aspect, with a naked stem reaching 3-4 feet tall on average; there is a cluster of very long, strap-like leaves at the base, with each leaf growing to 2 feet long. Read more at Vascular Plants of North Carolina.

SYNONYMOUS WITH PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Pteroglossaspis ecristata FAMILY Orchidaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH Floristic Synthesis of North America. BONAP (Kartesz, 2021)

Orthochilus ecristatus

SYNONYMOUS WITH Flora of North America north of Mexico, vol. 26 (2002)

Pteroglossaspis ecristata

SYNONYMOUS WITH Floristic Synthesis of North America (Kartesz, 1999)

Pteroglossaspis ecristata

SYNONYMOUS WITH VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 049-21-001:

Eulophia ecristata FAMILY Orchidaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)

Triorchos ecristatus

COMMON NAME:
Spiked Medusa, Crestless Plume Orchid, Smooth-lipped Eulophia, Non-crested Eulophia

To see larger pictures, click or hover over the thumbnails.

image of Orthochilus ecristatus, Spiked Medusa, Crestless Plume Orchid, Smooth-lipped Eulophia, Non-crested Eulophia

Jim Fowler jafpte_000d

August-September Berkeley County SC

Francis Marion National Forest

One of the rarest orchids in our region, per Weakley's Flora (2012).

WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/14/23):
Orthochilus ecristatus FAMILY Orchidaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Pteroglossaspis ecristata FAMILY Orchidaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH Floristic Synthesis of North America. BONAP (Kartesz, 2021)
Orthochilus ecristatus

SYNONYMOUS WITH Flora of North America north of Mexico, vol. 26
Pteroglossaspis ecristata

SYNONYMOUS WITH Floristic Synthesis of North America (Kartesz, 1999)
Pteroglossaspis ecristata

SYNONYMOUS WITH VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 049-21-001:
Eulophia ecristata FAMILY Orchidaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Triorchos ecristatus

2148

Forb
Perennial

Habitat: Mesic pinelands with blackjack oak, other longleaf pine sandhills and dry-mesic to mesic longleaf pinelands, also (southwards) in spodosol wet-mesic pine flatwoods, dry-prairies, and disturbed wet pastures, per Weakley's Flora

Native to the Carolinas & Georgia

Rare

map
CLICK HERE to see a map, notes, and images from Weakley's Flora of the Southeastern US.

LEAVES:
Simple

FLOWER:
Summer/Fall
Purplish-brown
Bilaterally symmetrical
3 sepals, two lateral and one dorsal
3 petals, the two lateral similar and a third (the lip) enlarged
stamens and pistil fused together into a column
Inferior ovary
Bisexual

FRUIT:
Summer/Fall
Capsule

TO LEARN MORE about this plant, look it up in a good book!

If a search such as "Carex leptalea var. leptalea" doesn't deliver the results you want, try "Carex leptalea".
Or, to minimize chances of a misspelling, try just "Carex le".

Less is more: If "pencil flower" doesn't deliver the results you want, try "pencil".