Orchid Species: Orchis virens

ORIGIN: A miniature to medium sized, cold growing terrestrial occurring in the Faroe Islands, Iceland, Ireland, Great Britain, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Spain, France, Corsica, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, Czechoslovakia, Austria, Hungary, Switzerland, Italy, Yugoslavia, Albania, Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania, Poland, Belarus, Ukraine, western Russia, central Russia, eastern Russia, western Siberia, eastern Siberia, Kazakastan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Iran, Mongolia, China, Korea, Japan, Taiwan, western Himalayas, Pakistan, Nepal, eastern Himalayas, the Aluetians, Alaska, Yukon, Northwest Territories, British Colombia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri, Minnesota, Wisconson, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, New York, New Jersey, Massechussets, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Vermont and Maine in upper montane forests at elevations of 100 to 4500 meters and is one of the most widespread orchids in the world.

DESCRIPTION: A miniature to medium sized, cold growing terrestrial and is one of the most widespread orchids in the world with 2 ovoid or lobed tubers and a stem with brown sheaths carrying 2 to 5, light green, ovate to oblong becoming lanceolate towards the apex of the stem leaves which blooms in the late spring and summer on an erect, terminal, 3 to 13 [7.5 to 32.5 cm] long, lax, cylindrical spike with bracts and from 5 to 25, fragrant flowers.

FLOWER SIZE: 3/8 - 1/2 inch [0.9 to 1.25 cm] -- information provided by Jay Pfahl, author of the Internet Orchid Species Encyclopedia (IOSPE).