[Twayblades: The Genus Neottia in the Columbia River Gorge of Oregon and Washington]

Heartleaf Twayblade, Heart-leaf Twayblade, Heart-leaved Twayblade

Neottia cordata

Synonyms: Bifolium cordatum, Diphryllum cordatum, Distomaea cordata, Listera cordata var. cordata, Listera cordata ssp. nephrophylla, Listera cordata var. neophrophylla,Listera nephrophylla, Neottia cordata, Neottia nephrophylla, Ophrys cordata, Pollinirhiza cordata

Heartleaf Twayblade, Heart-leaf Twayblade, Heart-leaved Twayblade: Neottia cordata (Synonyms: Bifolium cordatum, Diphryllum cordatum, Distomaea cordata, Listera cordata var. cordata, Listera cordata ssp. nephrophylla, Listera cordata var. neophrophylla,Listera nephrophylla, Neottia cordata, Neottia nephrophylla, Ophrys cordata, Pollinirhiza cordata)

The photo above shows a close-up of the raceme of heart-leaf twayblade as seen under fairly dark woods next to seeps at about 4400' on the ridgetop between the Dairy Creek and Cougar Creek drainages..........May 29, 2005. Notice the long lower lip which is forked or divided for more than half its length, a key characteristic of this species.

Characteristics:

Heart-leaved twayblade is a perennial with stems to 20 cm tall. It consists of a single stem, with a pair of clasping leaves at mid stalk. The leaves are about 4 cm in length, broadly heart-shaped, with parallel leaf venation. They are opposite of each other on the stem. The stalks are smooth to glandular hairy above the leaves.

The flowers are pale green to purplish-brown in color, with the lip divided into 2 linear lobes with a pair of horn-like teeth at the base.. The 5 to 16 flowers form an elongated, terminal raceme.


Habitat:

Heart-leaved twayblade is a plant of damp, mossy places, often found along streams or in bogs. It may on occasion be found in dry forested areas or on open slopes.


Range:

Heart-leaved twayblade is found from Alaska to Greenland. On the east coast, it may be found as far south as North Carolina, in the Midwest, it is found as far south as Minnesota and Michigan, and in the west as far south as New Mexico and California. It is found in the mountainous areas of both Oregon and Washington.

In the Columbia River Gorge, it may be found east of Multnomah Falls to about adjacent to the Little White Salmon River. Within that range, it may be found between the elevations of 100'-4000'.


Heartleaf Twayblade, Heart-leaf Twayblade, Heart-leaved Twayblade: Neottia cordata (Synonyms: Bifolium cordatum, Diphryllum cordatum, Distomaea cordata, Listera cordata var. cordata, Listera cordata ssp. nephrophylla, Listera cordata var. neophrophylla,Listera nephrophylla, Neottia cordata, Neottia nephrophylla, Ophrys cordata, Pollinirhiza cordata) - Heartleaf Twayblade, Heart-leaf Twayblade, Heart-leaved Twayblade: Neottia cordata (Synonyms: Bifolium cordatum, Diphryllum cordatum, Distomaea cordata, Listera cordata var. cordata, Listera cordata ssp. nephrophylla, Listera cordata var. neophrophylla,Listera nephrophylla, Neottia cordata, Neottia nephrophylla, Ophrys cordata, Pollinirhiza cordata)

Two views of the inflorescence and leaves of heart-leaved twayblade as seen along the trail to McCord Creek in the Columbia River Gorge.........April 20, 2009. Click each photo to see an enlarged view (2x).

Paul Slichter