Aplectrum hyemale
Encyclopedia
Aplectrum hyemale is a species
of orchids (family
Orchidaceae) and the sole species of the genus
Aplectrum. The generic name comes from Greek
and signifies "spurless". The species is commonly referred to as Adam and Eve or putty root, the latter refers to the mucilaginous
fluid which can be removed from the tubers when they are crushed.
The leaves appear in late November and persist until March. They are uniquely pin-striped, with parallel alternating silvery-white and green stripes. In late May or early June the flower stalk emerges carrying several flowers, each only a few millimeters across.
Aplectrum hyemale will spread underground through the growth of its tubers, forming large colonies.
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of orchids (family
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
Orchidaceae) and the sole species of the genus
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
Aplectrum. The generic name comes from Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
and signifies "spurless". The species is commonly referred to as Adam and Eve or putty root, the latter refers to the mucilaginous
Mucilage
Mucilage is a thick, gluey substance produced by most plants and some microorganisms. It is a polar glycoprotein and an exopolysaccharide.It occurs in various parts of nearly all classes of plant, usually in relatively small percentages, and is frequently associated with other substances, such as...
fluid which can be removed from the tubers when they are crushed.
The leaves appear in late November and persist until March. They are uniquely pin-striped, with parallel alternating silvery-white and green stripes. In late May or early June the flower stalk emerges carrying several flowers, each only a few millimeters across.
Aplectrum hyemale will spread underground through the growth of its tubers, forming large colonies.
See also
- Oreorchis patens - an extremely similar species, also in a monotypicMonotypicIn biology, a monotypic taxon is a taxonomic group with only one biological type. The term's usage differs slightly between botany and zoology. The term monotypic has a separate use in conservation biology, monotypic habitat, regarding species habitat conversion eliminating biodiversity and...
genus - Tipularia discolorTipularia discolorThe Crane-fly Orchid is a perennial terrestrial woodland orchid, a member of the Orchidaceae. It is the only species of the genus Tipularia found in North America. This orchid grows a single leaf in September that disappears in the spring. The leaf is green with dark purple spots. The orchid...
- another similar orchid which is often confused with A. hyemale