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Goodyera pubescens
Downy Rattlesnake Plantain
Downy Rattlesnake Orchid
Downy Rattlesnake Orchis
Florida native
Endangered Florida species
This terrestrial orchid is known from only Liberty County in Florida. The range extends throughout the eastern United States plus Ontario and Quebec.
For most of the year only the distinctive evergreen leaves are seen. The leaves are basal, 5-10cm (2-4 in.) long and 1-1.5cm (0.4-0.6 in.) wide, with white reticulate veins and a bold white mid-vein. Downy rattlesnake plantain blooms in the summer through much of its range, August into December in Florida. The small white flowers appear in a dense spike that can reach 20-30cm (8-12 in.) tall.
The genus was named by Scottish botanist & paleobotanist Robert Brown in honor of botanist John Goodyer (1592–1664), who lived in Hampshire, England his entire life.
Goodyera pubescens is a member of the Orchidaceae - Orchid family.
Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants (Institute for Systemic Botany) profile for this species
Wildflowers of the Southeastern United States profile for this species
USDA Plant Profile for this species
Date record last modified: Jan 10, 2022
