Listera cordata
in W. Aiton and W. T. Aiton, Hortus Kew. 5: 201. 1813.
Plants 5–33 cm. Stems green to reddish purple, succulent, glabrous. Leaves: blade broadly to narrowly ovate-cordate or deltate, 0.9–2(–4) × 0.7–2(–3.8) cm, apex mucronate. Inflorescences 5–25-flowered, lax to dense, 20–100 mm, slender; floral bracts ovate, 1–1.5 × 1 mm; peduncle and rachis slightly glandular-puberulent or glabrate; bracts, pedicel, and ovary glabrous. Flowers yellow-green, green, or reddish purple; pedicel slender, 2–3 mm; dorsal sepal ovate-oblong to oblong-elliptic, 2–3 × 1 mm, apex obtuse; lateral sepals ovate-oblong to oblong-elliptic, slightly falcate, 2–3 × 0.5–1.5 mm, apex obtuse; petals elliptic to oblong-linear, 1.5–2.5 × 0.5–1 mm, apex obtuse; lip linear-oblong, cleft 1/2 –2/3 its length into 2 linear-lanceolate lobes, 3–4 × 1–1.5 mm; disc with pair of spreading, linear lobes, apices acute; column 0.5 × 0.5 mm. Capsules semierect, subglobose, 5 × 4 mm.
Distribution
n North America, Europe, Asia (Japan), Iceland.
Discussion
Varieties 2 (2 in the flora).
Selected References
Key
| 1 | Leaf blades 0.7–2 cm wide; lip 3–4 mm; flowers yellow-green, green, or reddish purple. | Listera cordata var. cordata |
| 1 | Leaf blades 1.8–3.8 cm wide; lip 5–6 mm; flowers green to yellow-green. | Listera cordata var. nephrophylla |