Neottia borealis (Morong) Szlach.

Northern Twayblade

Habit: Neottia borealis. ~ By James W. Wallace. ~ Copyright © 2024. ~

Flowers: Neottia borealis. ~ By Marilyn Barker. ~ Copyright © 2024. ~ ~ U. of Alaska

Inflorescences: Neottia borealis. ~ By Marilyn Barker. ~ Copyright © 2024. ~ ~ U. of Alaska

Plant form: Neottia borealis. ~ By Marilyn Barker. ~ Copyright © 2024. ~ ~ U. of Alaska

Facts About

Accepted Synonyms: Listera borealis, Ophrys borealis

Neottia borealis, commonly known as Northern Twayblade, ranges from Alaska southward through the northern Rocky Mountains, and eastward across Canada. The orchid grows in coniferous and mixed hardwood forests, swamps, along streams, tundra slopes, and floodplains.
The plant grows to 26 cm with two opposite leaves near the middle of the stem. The loose raceme has up to 20 pale green, yellow green, or blue green flowers. Lateral sepals and petals are sickle-shaped and bent backward. The labellum is oblong, with the apex cleft into two blunt lobes, and the base dilated into two diverging auricles. Dark green marks the labellum's center line.

Neottia borealis's global rank is apparently secure.

Pollination

Pollinator information for this orchid has not been reported.

Ecosystem Type

Floodplains, forests, stream bank, swamps, tundra

Characteristics

Habitat:: terrestrial

Leaf arrangement:: opposite

Number of leaves on stem:: two

Form of the labellum:: the labellum is not pouch-like

Labellum outline:: the labellum is lobed

Main color of labellum:

green to brown
white

Nectar spur:: absent

Inflorescence type:: the inflorescence is a raceme

Labellum characteristics:: the labellum is lobed

Labellum length:: 7–12 mm

Sepal length:: 4–7 mm

Plant height:: 5–25 cm

Show All Characteristics

Flowers
Floral bract length:

1–3 mm
Flower petal color:
green

white
Flower symmetry:

the flower is zygomorphic
Flowering date:
May

June

July

August
Flowers per inflorescence:

5–20

Form of the labellum:

the labellum is not pouch-like

Hairs on flower stalk:

the pedicel has at least some hairs with glands at their bases or tips

Hairs on inflorescence axis:

the inflorescence stem has at least some hairs with glands

Inflorescence length:

20–90 mm

Inflorescence type:

the inflorescence is a raceme

Labellum characteristics:

the labellum is lobed

Labellum length:

7–12 mm

Labellum outline:

the labellum is lobed

Labellum position:

the flowers are resupinate

Length of flower stalk:

3.5–7 mm

Lower petal strongly red-veined:

no
Main color of labellum:
green to brown

white
Nectar spur:

absent

Number of stamens:

1

Orientation of side petals:

the lateral petals are spreading

Self-pollinating flowers:

there are no cleistogamous flowers

Sepal length:

4–7 mm

Sepals fused only to sepals:

the sepals are separate from one another

Spots on labellum:

no

Spur opening membrane:

N/A

Spur opening shape:

N/A
Fruits or seeds

Fruit length:

8 mm

Fruit width:

5 mm
Growth form

Plant height:

5–25 cm

Roots:

the rhizomes are non-coralloid

Underground organs:

slender roots

myco-heterotrophic or not:

the plant is chlorophyllous
Leaves
Bract relative length:

the bract is shorter than the associated flower

Features of leaves:

N/A

Leaf arrangement:

opposite

Leaf blade edges:

the leaf edges are entire

Leaf blade length:

13–60 mm

Leaf blade length to width ratio:

1.9–2
Leaf blade shape:
elliptic

lanceolate

ovate
Leaf blade tip:

the tip of the leaf blade is obtuse

Leaf blade width:

7–30 mm

Leaves during flowering:

leaves are present during flowering

Number of leaves on stem:

two
Place
Ecosystem type:
floodplains

forests

stream banks

swamps

tundra
Habitat:

terrestrial
Location:
Alaska

Alberta

British Columbia

Colorado

Idaho

Manitoba

Montana

New Mexico

Newfoundland and Labrador

Northwest Territories

Nunavut

Ontario

Oregon

Prince Edward Island

Quebec

Saskatchewan

Utah

Washington

Wyoming

Yukon
Facts and Uses

Mycorrhiza

Monitoring

Propagation

Restoration

Native to North America

Yes

North American Conservation Status & Distribution

Conservation Status

Select a location to view conservation status:

	Conservation and Wetland Status
Global Rank	Apparently Secure
US Status	N/A
Canadian Status	Secure

	Conservation status for: Alberta
Global Rank	Apparently Secure
US Status	N/A
Alberta Rank	Secure
Alberta Status	N/A
Canadian Status	Secure
Wetland Status	N/A

	Conservation status for: Alaska
Global Rank	Apparently Secure
US Status	N/A
Alaska Rank	Apparently Secure
Alaska Status	N/A
Canadian Status	Secure
Wetland Status	Facultative Upland

	Conservation status for: British Columbia
Global Rank	Apparently Secure
US Status	N/A
British Columbia Rank	Secure
British Columbia Status	N/A
Canadian Status	Secure
Wetland Status	N/A

	Conservation status for: Colorado
Global Rank	Apparently Secure
US Status	N/A
Colorado Rank	Apparently Secure
Colorado Status	N/A
Canadian Status	Secure
Wetland Status	Facultative Wetland

	Conservation status for: Manitoba
Global Rank	Apparently Secure
US Status	N/A
Manitoba Rank	State Rare
Manitoba Status	N/A
Canadian Status	Secure
Wetland Status	N/A

	Conservation status for: Newfoundland and Labrador
Global Rank	Apparently Secure
US Status	N/A
Newfoundland and Labrador Rank	State Rare
Newfoundland and Labrador Status	N/A
Canadian Status	Secure
Wetland Status	N/A

	Conservation status for: Northwest Territories
Global Rank	Apparently Secure
US Status	N/A
Northwest Territories Rank	Secure
Northwest Territories Status	N/A
Canadian Status	Secure
Wetland Status	N/A

	Conservation status for: Nunavut
Global Rank	Apparently Secure
US Status	N/A
Nunavut Rank	N/A
Nunavut Status	N/A
Canadian Status	Secure
Wetland Status	N/A

	Conservation status for: Ontario
Global Rank	Apparently Secure
US Status	N/A
Ontario Rank	State Rare
Ontario Status	N/A
Canadian Status	Secure
Wetland Status	N/A

	Conservation status for: Quebec
Global Rank	Apparently Secure
US Status	N/A
Quebec Rank	State Rare
Quebec Status	N/A
Canadian Status	Secure
Wetland Status	N/A

	Conservation status for: Saskatchewan
Global Rank	Apparently Secure
US Status	N/A
Saskatchewan Rank	State Rare
Saskatchewan Status	N/A
Canadian Status	Secure
Wetland Status	N/A

	Conservation status for: Wyoming
Global Rank	Apparently Secure
US Status	N/A
Wyoming Rank	State Rare
Wyoming Status	N/A
Canadian Status	Secure
Wetland Status	Facultative Wetland

	Conservation status for: Yukon
Global Rank	Apparently Secure
US Status	N/A
Yukon Rank	Secure
Yukon Status	N/A
Canadian Status	Secure
Wetland Status	N/A

North America Distribution

Adapted from USDA data

Facts About

Pollination

Ecosystem Type

Characteristics

Flowers

Fruits or seeds

Growth form

Leaves

Place

Facts and Uses

Native to North America

North American Conservation Status & Distribution

Conservation Status

North America Distribution