Puttyroot Aplectrum hyemale (Muhlenberg ex Willdenow) Torrey    Synonyms: Aplectrum spicatum, Puttyroot Orchid.
Kingdom Plantae   >   Division Tracheophyta   >   Class Magnoliopsida   >   Order Orchidales   >   Family Orchidaceae   >   Genus Aplectrum   

Status:

Native to eastern North America and typically occurs in moist, rich deciduous woods (J. Hill/MNPS).

Description:

Puttyroot's pale, ghostly flower stalk is difficult to find. More evident is the single, distinctive basal leaf, which is produced in late summer or fall. The leaf is large, oval, bluish-green above and purplish-green beneath. It is corrugated, with many, prominent white veins. It persists through the winter, withering at about the time the scape of flowers is produced in the spring (J. Hill/MNPS).

There are 227 records in the project database.

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Puttyroot blooming in Howard Co., Maryland (5/26/2013). Photo by Joanne Solem. (MBP list)

Puttyroot blooming in Howard Co., Maryland (5/26/2013). Photo by Joanne Solem. (MBP list)

Puttyroot blooming in Prince George's Co., Maryland (6/2/2014). Photo by Fritz Flohr Reynolds. (MBP list)

Puttyroot in Howard Co., Maryland (3/13/2017). Photo by Chelsea Kieffer. (MBP list)

Puttyroot in Montgomery Co., Maryland (4/19/2014). Photo by Robert Ferraro. (MBP list)

Puttyroot growing in Baltimore Co., Maryland (2/8/2017). Photo by Rose Anderson. (MBP list)

A Puttyroot bloom in Harford Co., Maryland (5/26/2018). Photo by Josh Emm. (MBP list)

Puttyroot in winter in Calvert Co., Maryland (2/10/2013). Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)

Puttyroot in Baltimore Co., Maryland (12/6/2018). (c) Charlie Davis, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Charlie Davis. (MBP list)

Puttyroot in Calvert Co., Maryland (1/1/2016). Photo by Robert Ferraro. (MBP list)

Puttyroot growing in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (4/4/2011). Photo by Bill Harms. (MBP list)

Puttyroot in Maryland (4/19/2021). (c) wearethechampignons, some rights reserved (CC BY). Photo by wearethechampignons via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Puttyroot in Calvert Co., Maryland (4//1986). Photo by Jim Stasz. (MBP list)

Puttyroot leaves in Washington Co., Maryland (3/11/2013). Photo by Jim Brighton. (MBP list)

Puttyroot budding in Harford Co., Maryland (5/15/2018). Photo by Josh Emm. (MBP list)

Puttyroot leaves in Howard Co., Maryland (12/30/2015). Photo by Nancy Magnusson. (MBP list)

Puttyroot in Frederick Co., Maryland (1/2/2022). (c) botanygirl, some rights reserved (CC BY). Photo by botanygirl via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Puttyroot in Baltimore Co., Maryland (4/17/2016). Photo by Kirsten Johnson. (MBP list)

Puttyroot in Washington Co., Maryland (4/20/2014). Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)

A Puttyroot bloom in Montgomery Co., Maryland (6/1/2016). Photo by Robert Ferraro. (MBP list)

Puttyroot in Howard Co., Maryland (4/21/2014). Photo by Jim Wilkinson. (MBP list)

Puttyroot seedpods in Baltimore Co., Maryland (2/8/2017). Photo by Rose Anderson. (MBP list)

Puttyroot (green seeds) in Howard Co., Maryland (7/31/2015). Photo by Joanne Solem. (MBP list)

The fruit stalk of Puttyroot in winter in Montgomery Co., Maryland (12/25/2014). Photo by Jane Hill. (MBP list)

Puttyroot in Baltimore Co., Maryland (12/6/2018). (c) Charlie Davis, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Charlie Davis. (MBP list)

Puttyroot in Prince George's Co., Maryland (1/1/2021). (c) Carrie Seltzer, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Carrie Seltzer via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Puttyroot in Prince George's Co., Maryland (1/1/2021). (c) Carrie Seltzer, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Carrie Seltzer via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Puttyroot in Baltimore Co., Maryland (4/4/2020). (c) Nathaniel Schwartz, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND). Photo by Nathaniel Schwartz via iNaturalist. (MBP list)


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