Showy Orchis (Galearis spectabilis)

I can still distinctly remember my first experience finding and observing a wild species of orchid out in the field.  I had long admired their beauty and unequaled physique in pictures from wildflower books and the internet but had never tangibly witnessed one with my own eyes.  It was four years ago on a warm and sunny afternoon in mid-May as I slowly weaved my way between the large tuliptrees, yellow buckeye and beech of a mature, mixed-mesophytic forest deep in Zaleski state forest.  The sun streamed through the closing emerald canopy and scattered in a patchwork fashion amongst the carpet of wildflowers and ferns below, while the newly arrived migrating birds whistled and warbled above.  I wasn't looking for anything specific other than to soak in the scenery and atmosphere of my new home here in the rolling, unglaciated hills of southeastern Ohio.  My casual gaze was caught by an exceptionally large yellow buckeye tree with a scattering of thick, succulent leaves emerging from the loamy soil; each with a short raceme of unusual pinkish-purple and cream colored flowers.  My heart skipped a beat as the realization slowly sank in that I was standing in front of my first orchid, the Showy Orchis (Galearis spectabilis).

Showy Orchis (Galearis spectabilis)

 After that initial experience my fate was sealed and I quickly became passionately obsessed with searching out and finding as many native wild orchids as I possibly could.  Only a short four years later has resulted in over 50 species of North American orchid (even one naturalizing European taxon) from all over the eastern United States and even parts of Canada.  My goal of seeing all 46 indigenous species to Ohio's soil currently stands at 39 with high hopes of crossing a few more off this season.  We'll see what mother nature has in store for me in the near future!

Showy Orchis distribution map courtesy of BONAP

The showy orchis is one of eastern North America's most well-distributed species ranging from the Great Lake states south to the Ozarks of Missouri and Arkansas; east across the Piedmont and southern Appalachians then continuing up through New England.  In Ohio it occurs throughout a majority of the state, only being absent in the northwest quarter.  Galearis spectabilis is diagnostic of mesic forests and woodlands with both acidic and calcareous situations.  It especially prefers north-facing slopes and well-drained ravine bottoms that have an accompanying diverse display of spring ephemeral wildflowers.  I have witnessed it in a variety of woodland sites but it seems to prefer and thrive in more mature, undisturbed forests rather than young and cut over stands.  In southeastern Ohio I seem to almost always find it in close association with the aforementioned yellow buckeye (Aesculus flava); which is an excellent indicator of its mixed-mesophytic/Appalachian cove home.

Showy Orchis (Galearis spectabilis)

Plant taxonomy is an ever-changing and evolving science and despite what others may say, it's never safe to get too comfortable with a plant's name.  Originally put under the Orchis genus banner by Linnaeus well over 200 years ago, it was separated and put into a new genus (Galearis) by botanist and overall Renaissance man Constance Rafinesque in an effort to set it apart from the Old World Orchis taxa.  Some botanists and taxonomists still refer to it as an Orchis but I do my best to stay up with the latest nomenclature and stick with Galearis; which in turn is a very fitting name.  Derived from the Greek word galea, meaning 'hood', Galearis refers to the confluence of the lateral petals and sepals that form a hood over the column and lower lip.  G. spectabilis is the only North American taxon of the genus with Asia's G. cyclochila being the only other member worldwide.

Showy Orchis (Galearis spectabilis)

It's always an excellent idea to take a closer look at this stunning orchid if for nothing else than to get a whiff of its intoxicating fragrance.  The charming 'hood' colored in soft pink or purple mixes nicely with the snow white lower lip, giving off an overall appearance of an opening mouth waiting to devour its pollinators.  There are two accepted color forms of the showy orchis: forma gordinierii which exhibits all-white flowers and forma willeyi which has entirely pink flowers.  I've yet to have the pleasure to see either form in person but have high hopes of doing so in the future!

Showy Orchis (Galearis spectabilis)

An even closer examination of the hood's underside reveals the sophisticated reproductive parts of the orchid.  Pollinators are attracted to the flowers by the long nectar-filled spur that protrudes out the back of the inflorescence.  Upon landing on the lower lip or 'runway', the insect probes the spur for a nectar meal and hopefully in the process picks up one of the two pollinia (special packages of pollen in orchid-speak) which are located within a sleeve-like structure under the hood.  Once finished with that particular individual inflorescence it's off to the next where it deposits the pollinia into the column (fused pistil and stamen of orchids) of the new flower.

Showy Orchis (Galearis spectabilis)

A side shot of the raceme of the showy orchis better reveals the hood, lower lip, and nectar spur.  Your blogger has a hard enough time keeping his nose away from the enchanting aroma of these flowers so I can only imagine the insatiable drive of its insect pollinators to get a taste of the equally delicious nectar.  Such an amazing symbiotic relationship insects and wildflowers share; a simple and perfectly evolved 'I'll scratch your back if you scratch mine'.  The insect gets a nutritious nectar and/or pollen meal while the plant gets pollinated and can set to seed; hopefully supplying the forest with future plants for other fellow orchid lovers and appreciators to find.