Rattlesnake Plantain ~ Goodyera oblongifolia
I waited for a long time for the flowers on this small orchid to open but it looks as though they are drying up very quickly. This is a record-high temperature summer here.
July 13, 2017
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Montana Outdoors 
Now all you need to complete the picture is a timber rattler.
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Comment by Malcolm R. Campbell — July 13, 2017 @ 1:26 pm
I’d settle for a Prairie Rattler. As far as I know there are no timer rattlers in Montana. I’ve seen a lot more Rattlesnake Plantain than rattlesnakes, although one did visit me last summer.
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Comment by montucky — July 13, 2017 @ 1:59 pm
That’s interesting, the flowers look a lot like those on our downy rattlesnake plantain (Goodyera pubescens.) It’s funny though, even though ours are called downy yours actually looks a lot more hairy.
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Comment by New Hampshire Garden Solutions — July 13, 2017 @ 3:10 pm
They are probably very closely related. There’s another species here that’s nearly identical to this one except considerable smaller. Sometimes I think there is a lot of hair-splitting when they create some species.
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Comment by montucky — July 13, 2017 @ 4:25 pm
Yes, and now DNA testing lets them split hairs even further. It can be both interesting and tedious.
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Comment by New Hampshire Garden Solutions — July 13, 2017 @ 6:26 pm
I’m sure it is both, but I wonder if there isn’t a limit beyond which it gets ridiculous.
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Comment by montucky — July 13, 2017 @ 7:49 pm
I’m sure there must be, but Genotyping of plants could reveal a cancer cure, so I wouldn’t vote to stop it. The renaming of so many plants is a bit frustrating though.
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Comment by New Hampshire Garden Solutions — July 14, 2017 @ 2:55 am
Interesting
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Comment by John Purdy — July 13, 2017 @ 4:31 pm
These are not really rare, but not too many people have seen them.
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Comment by montucky — July 13, 2017 @ 6:49 pm
You’re like a walking wildflower dictionary with illustrations.
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Comment by wordsfromanneli — July 13, 2017 @ 6:55 pm
That’s probably because I seldom let a day go by without a hike somewhere, at least a short one. When you’re out that much you encounter a lot of things.
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Comment by montucky — July 13, 2017 @ 7:01 pm
With ears and eyes open you have a lot of beautiful experiences. Sure beats sitting in a room with earbuds on.
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Comment by wordsfromanneli — July 14, 2017 @ 10:44 am
That’s for sure. To say nothing of attitude and perspective.
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Comment by montucky — July 14, 2017 @ 11:12 am
SUMMER is quite COOL here. Thanks. Great.
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Comment by nvsubbaraman — July 13, 2017 @ 7:01 pm
Our temperatures, which have been very high, are about to cool down to historical normals again.
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Comment by montucky — July 13, 2017 @ 7:10 pm
Very nice detail photos! Learn something new on each of your blogs!
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Comment by Reed Andariese — July 13, 2017 @ 7:01 pm
Thanks! My little mirrorless camera is going in for repair and so I’ll be using my older D80 for a long while and for it I have two pretty good lenses. There’s a noticeable difference in picture quality.
There is so much here for someone interested in nature to see and I have such wonderful close and free access to it. I don’t take that for granted either!
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Comment by montucky — July 13, 2017 @ 7:16 pm
Pretty, too bad the heat is taking a toll.
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Comment by Candace — July 14, 2017 @ 1:28 pm
Yes, but the plants ave seen years like this too and they survive. I would like to be able to enjoy them a little longer though.
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Comment by montucky — July 14, 2017 @ 4:14 pm
I learnt new again. Thank You.
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Comment by Sartenada — July 18, 2017 @ 4:40 am
This one only grows and blooms in late summer after most flowers are through.
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Comment by montucky — July 18, 2017 @ 7:13 am