I don't *think* it is. There are G. spectabilis (Showy orchis) in the surrounding woods (Northern VA - Appalachian mtns) but they have all seasonally died back by now as far as I can see. This specimen is growing on a partially exposed rock/boulder in the middle of a septic field. I'm guessing the fine grasses growing around it have hidden it from deer but haven't out-competed it so it's hanging in there! Any ideas as to what it might be?

Why don't my posts ever seem to get replies ....doesn't this look familiar to anyone?

Hi upat5, sorry that no one has responded in what you feel is a timely manner but with the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays here, it's a busy time of year for many folks and they may not be able to be on-line quite as often as usual. That being said, I don't know a thing about Showy Orchid (Galearis spectabilis) but this page http://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowe... states that they persist into October and November. I wonder if your area is perhaps experiencing warmer than usual temp's and maybe this particular plant is just late in dying back for winter?

I read this post earlier but was on my way to my orchid club Christmas party.

Two thoughts: its a little small to tell. And it could just be very protected in that location.

Thank-you both and I wasn't really serious about the whine...I'm surrounded by 3 sick kids right now and I feel a little whine-y ....I know this time of yr is busy for all. Happy holidays!

Daisy: thank-you for your insight...so an orchid in a protected place could persist all winter..possibly? I've noted its presence for about 4 yrs now...it never seems to die back (though hard to tell under a few ft of snow) but it's always there in the Spring....never seems to grow bigger...not forming a colony (maybe that's size dependent?) as these orchids do easily if out of reach of deer. I thought maybe lily of some sort. Guess I will just take pics every now and then and see what it does. Thanks! Hope you had fun at the orchid club party!

You do post some difficult ID pics, Upat5. I have noticed an inordinate amount of your questions left in limbo. I think it is predominantly because even though your pics are clear, there just aren't any characteristics that jump out as diagnostic to id the plant. This one could be G. spectabilis, I suppose, but also could easily be something else. I can say that G. spectabilis will only have one or two leaves. If the third leaf in your pic is actually connected to the same stem as the two larger ones, then I would say it is not G. spectabilis. But, often there is another offset(s) growing adjacent to the mother plant that could account for additional leaves.

Not all monocots are orchids. You could be dealing with something completely dfferent. If this plant is not important in the greater sceme of things, you could carefully did it up and see what's down there.

It would be helpful to know where this plant is located.

DaisyI said:It would be helpful to know where this plant is located.

Or, you could just read Upat5's very first unedited post. I don't think the plant has changed residency since then.

Thanks Leftwood. I had re-read the original post and completely missed it.

Thanks so much for your help! I do see what you are saying about my pics, Rick. A huge part of my problem is critter related...if something flowers, the flowers are chomped, most things don't attain their true height because of deer and a resident woodchuck....then other things that don't get chomped are hidden or overshadowed too much and grow very slowly.

This particular plant is the latter and I've been watching it for 3 yrs now. It never loses its leaves (even under 3 ft of snow), it never grows and it certainly doesn't flower. It does have 3 leaves so that's why I was doubting orchid...I was thinking maybe wood "lily" of some sort? Is there any other part I should look at that might provide a clue short of digging it up?

Thanks again for the input!

If you are thinking Clintonia species, I am only familiar with C. borealis which it can't be because C. borealis leaves die each fall. But the other species? Dunno. I don't think this will help within the Clintonia species, but perhaps a description of the underside of the leaf and shape of the leaf tip might also confirm or deny certain identifications. Here is a rather nerdy description of American clintonias:
http://www.efloras.org/florata...

My biggest pet peeve on the ID forum is when well-intentioned posters photoshop their plant pics to make them "look better" while at the same time changing the true characteristics of the plant that are need for accurate identification. Thanks for not doing that.

Leftwood said:My biggest pet peeve on the ID forum is when well-intentioned posters photoshop their plant pics to make them "look better" while at the same time changing the true characteristics of the plant that are need for accurate identification.

I had no idea that people photo-shopped their photos! Maybe that's why I don't recognize a lot of plants.

I don't think it is prevalent. But those that do, just don't seem to understand.....

Well, no worries there...I can barely point a camera let alone edit something that it takes

However, I did manage to take a few more shots....so you can see plant more clearly and last shot is underside of leaf. Not sure that it will help to id it but maybe narrows down possibilities?