"Rattlesnake plantain"

Another of the native orchids Herrick Brown, curator of the A C Moore Herbarium at U S C talked about when he joined us for a program was the rattlesnake plantain. Why rattlesnake? Because the basal rosette of green leaves which have a very prominent white midrib and also white veins -- reminded someone of a rattlesnake’s coloration. Why Plantain – it’s not related to that banana group member, but it grows similarly to the plantain lawn weed. So that’s why common names can be very misleading, and we should use scientific names – in this case Goodyera pubescens. Goodyera species occur on many continents and widely in the U S and Canada. Our Goodyera, found in nearly all parts of our state, has the specific name of pubescens as the leaves are covered with downy white hairs.