Dactylorhiza viridis, the frog orchid, is a species of flowering plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae.[1][2] It has also been treated as the only species Coeloglossum viride of the monotypic genus Coeloglossum.[3][4]

Frog orchid or
long-bracted orchid
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Orchidaceae
Subfamily: Orchidoideae
Genus: Dactylorhiza
Species:
D. viridis
Binomial name
Dactylorhiza viridis
(L.) R.M.Bateman, Pridgeon & M.W.Chase[1]
Synonyms[1]
  • Chamorchis viridis (L.) Dumort.
  • Coeloglossum viride (L.) Hartm.
  • Coeloglossum viride subsp. eurasiaticum Selander, not validly publ.
  • Entaticus viridis (L.) Gray
  • Gymnadenia viridis (L.) Rich.
  • Habenaria viridis (L.) R.Br.
  • Himantoglossum viride (L.) Rchb.
  • Orchis viridis (L.) Crantz
  • Peristylus viridis (L.) Lindl.
  • Platanthera viridis (L.) Lindl.
  • Satyrium viride L.
  • Sieberia viridis (L.) Spreng.

Description

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The plant arises from fleshy, forked roots and ranges in height from 10 to 55 cm. The leaves of D. viridis are 5–14 cm long and 2–7 cm wide; leaves at the base of the orchid are obovate to elliptical, while leaves higher on the stem become lanceolate. Two to six leaves are found on one plant, and leafing is alternate.

The inflorescence of the orchid is a dense raceme (spike-like cluster) containing 7 to 70 small flowers. Flowers are greenish in color, and often tinged with purple, reddish, or red-brown color. The flowers are subtended by conspicuous long, tapering bracts which are 1–6 cm long, with the lower bracts longer and typically greatly exceeding the length of the flower. The sepals are oval with little or no point, 3–7 mm long and 2–4 mm wide and dark green. The sepals join with the petals to form a hood opposite the labellum (lower petal) of the flower. Petals are long and narrow, 3.5–5 mm long and about 0.5 mm wide, and curve inwards. The labellum is strap-shaped and usually split at the very tip to form two or three tooth-like divisions, with the middle tooth smaller than the others. It is 5–11 mm long and 1–4 mm wide. A 2–3 mm long nectar spur projects behind the labellum.[5]

Dactylorhiza viridis flowers in late May and early June. It is either pollinated by bees and small wasps, or reproduces autogamously by incoherent pollinia; that is, the pollinia crumble and some pollen falls on the stigma, fertilizing the flower.[6]

In North America, Dactylorhiza viridis can be mistaken for Platanthera flava (the pale green orchid), but can be best distinguished by the labellum, which is notched at the apex and does not have the tubercle of P. flava.

Distribution

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Dactylorhiza viridis has a wide distribution across the cooler parts of the Northern Hemisphere, covering much of Europe, non-tropical Asia (Russia, Japan, China, the Himalayas, etc.), much of Canada and parts of the United States (Alaska, Northeast, the Appalachians, Great Lakes Region, Northern Great Plains, and Rocky Mountains).[1][7][8][9] It is typically found growing in moist, rich soil in wet meadows, moist or wet deciduous woods and thickets,[10] and is frequently found on steep slopes.

Ecology

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Dactylorhiza viridis is mainly pollinated by beetles and a wide range of Hymenoptera including ants.[11]

This orchid species is able to form symbiotic partnerships with a variety of mycorrhizal fungi including Ceratobasidium sp., Epulorhiza anaticulata, Moniliopsis anomala, Rhizoctonia sp., Tulasnella cucumeris and Tulasnella calospora.[12][13]

Chemistry

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The chemistry of a variety that has been known as bracteatum is complex, featuring a wealth of bioactive constituents, at least seven of which are peculiar to the plant. Known compounds found thus far to be present are 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde, 4-hydroxybenzyl alcohol (=Gastrodigenin), 4,4'-dihydroxydibenzyl ether, 4,4'-dihydroxydiphenylmethane (see Xenoestrogen), 4-(4-hydroxybenzyloxy)benzyl alcohol, gastrodin, quercetin-3,7-diglucoside (see Flavonol glycoside), thymidine, loroglossin, militarine, dactylorhin A, dactylorhin B, β-Sitosterol and daucosterol.[14]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Dactylorhiza viridis (L.) R.M.Bateman, Pridgeon & M.W.Chase". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 2023-08-04.
  2. ^ Chen, Xinqi; Gale, Stephan W. & Cribb, Phillip J. "Dactylorhiza viridis". Flora of China. Vol. 25. pp. 115, 117.
  3. ^ Sheviak, Charles J. & Catling, Paul M. "Coeloglossum viride". Flora of North America. Vol. 26. p. 580.
  4. ^ Stace, Clive (2010). New Flora of the British Isles (3rd ed.). Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. p. 870. ISBN 978-0-521-70772-5.
  5. ^ "Coeloglossum viride: UW-Stevens Point Freckmann Herbarium: Plant Details Page". Wisplants.uwsp.edu. Archived from the original on 2013-05-15. Retrieved 2013-06-03.
  6. ^ "Coeloglossum viride (L.) Hartm. var. virescens (Muhl.) Luer". Botany.wisc.edu. Retrieved 2013-06-03.
  7. ^ "World Checklist of selected plant families TDWG Geocodes" (PDF). Retrieved 2013-06-03.
  8. ^ Biota of North America Program, 2013 county distribution map
  9. ^ Altervista Flora Italiana, Celoglosso Long Bract Frog Orchid, Coeloglossum viride (L.) Hartm., Accepted name: Dactylorhiza viridis (L.) R. M. Bateman, Pridgeon & M. W. Chase includes European distribution map
  10. ^ "NPWRC :: Aquatic and Wetland Vascular Plants". Npwrc.usgs.gov. 2013-02-02. Retrieved 2013-06-03.
  11. ^ Claessens, J.; Seifert, B. (2018). "Ant pollination of Dactylorhiza viridis". Orchid Digest. 82 (3): 154–158.
  12. ^ Hadley, G. (1970). "Non-Specificity of Symbotic Infection in Orchid Mycorrhiza". New Phytologist. 69 (4): 1015–1023. doi:10.1111/j.1469-8137.1970.tb02481.x.
  13. ^ Currah, R. S.; Zelmer, C. D.; Hambleton, S.; Richardson, K. A. (1997). "Fungi from orchid mycorrhizas". Orchid Biology. pp. 117–170. doi:10.1007/978-94-017-2498-2_4. ISBN 978-90-481-4837-0.
  14. ^ Huang, Sheng-Yang; Li, Guo-Qiang; Shi, Jian-Gong; Mo, Shun-Yan; Wang, Su-Juan; Yang, Yong-Chun (2004). "Chemical constituents of the rhizomes of Coeloglossum viride var. bracteatum". Journal of Asian Natural Products Research. 6 (1): 49–61. doi:10.1080/1028602031000119826. PMID 14989381. S2CID 22113039.
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