Page authors: Don Knoke, David Giblin
Goodyera oblongifolia
giant rattlesnake-plantain, western rattlesnake-plantain
Specimens
Photos

Distribution: Widely distributed throughout the mountainous and forested areas on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; Alaska to California, east to the Rocky Mountains, Great Lakes Region, and eastern North America.

Habitat: Dry to moist forests, from sea level to middle elevations in the mountains.

Flowers: June-August

Origin: Native

Growth Duration: Perennial

Conservation Status: Not of concern

Description:
General:

Scapose, perennial herbs from short rhizomes, the scapes 2.5-4 dm. tall, glandular-hairy, with 2-4 small, non-green, sheathing bracts.

Leaves:

Leaves all basal, rosette-forming, with broad, winged petioles 5-20 mm. long; blades ovate-lanceolate to elliptic-lanceolate, 3-7 cm. long, dark green, mottled with white, especially along the mid-rib.

Flowers:

Inflorescence a closely-flowered, one-sided, bracteate raceme up to 12 cm. long; flowers pale greenish-white, pubescent, subtended by ovate-lanceolate bracts 4-10 mm. long; upper sepal fused with the 2 lateral petals, forming a forward-facing hood 6-10 mm. long; lower sepals free, ovate-lanceolate; third petal (lip) swollen and deeply concave, the tip recurved; stamens and style fused to form a column 3.5-5 mm. long, nearly concealed by the lip.

Fruits:

Capsule about 1 cm. long.

Accepted Name:
Goodyera oblongifolia Raf.
Publication: Herb. Raf. 76. 1833.

Synonyms & Misapplications:
Goodyera decipiens (Hook.) F.T. Hubbard
Goodyera oblongifolia Raf. var. reticulata B. Boivin
Peramium decipiens (Hook.) Piper
Additional Resources:

PNW Herbaria: Specimen records of Goodyera oblongifolia in the Consortium of Pacific Northwest Herbaria database.

WA Flora Checklist: Goodyera oblongifolia checklist entry.

OregonFlora: Goodyera oblongifolia information.

E-Flora BC: Goodyera oblongifolia atlas page.

CalPhotos: Goodyera oblongifolia photos.

USDA Plants: Goodyera oblongifolia information.

65 photographs:
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