Arethusa bulbosa
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Photo courtesy Renee Brecht |
Britton & Brown |
| Botanical name: | Arethusa bulbosa |
| Common name: | Dragon's mouth orchid or swamp-pink orchid (not to be confused with Helonias bullata which is also called swamp pink) |
| Group: | monocot |
| Family: | Orchidaceae |
| Growth type: | forb/herb |
| Duration: | perennial |
| Origin: | native |
| Plant height: | 5 - 10"' |
| Flower: | 2", Pink to purple-pink; rare form in white. Lip of flower is crested, yellow, with purple blotches. |
| Flowering time: | May to June. |
| Habitat: | open sphagnum bogs, preferring acid peat |
| Range in New Jersey: | local in the pine barrens; old records north of Wisconsin moraine; Cumberland, Atlantic counties, likely declining |
| Heritage ranking, if any: | Natural heritage listed S2; listed Pinelands |
| Distribution: |  |
| Misc. | USDA
lists as an obligate wetland species, almost always occurs in a
wetland.. Arethusa, named after the Greek water nymph. |