There are 47 native species of orchid that have been collected and recorded within Ohio's border. If you take some varieties and naturally-occurring hybrids into account the number climbs to 49; each with their own story to tell. Some are quite common in the right areas of the state while others cling to existence by only a few plants. Four species are currently considered 'extirpated' from the state, meaning they haven't been seen or recorded post-1980 (most haven't been seen in nearly/over a century).
Below is the most up-to-date taxonomic list for the Orchidaceae family in Ohio. They are listed in alphabetical order according to their botanical names. Nomenclature was taken from Cooperrider's Seventh Catalog of the Vascular Plants of Ohio (2001). I have listed the common name(s) the species most frequently goes by as well as the current status within the state's Natural Heritage Database if it applies: green for species of concern; yellow for threatened species; orange for endangered species; and red for extirpated species. In addition to the over 20 state-listed species, Ohio is home to two species which are federally listed as threatened: small whorled pogonia (Isotria medeoloides) and eastern prairie fringed orchid (Platanthera leucophaea).
Many species exhibit different recognized color forms; such as the pale form of the putty-root, Aplectrum hyemale f. pallidum or the albino version of the pink lady's slipper, Cypripedium acaule f. albiflorum. I have not included these in the list below since they are merely abnormalities in pigmentation and not morphological differences.
Below is the most up-to-date taxonomic list for the Orchidaceae family in Ohio. They are listed in alphabetical order according to their botanical names. Nomenclature was taken from Cooperrider's Seventh Catalog of the Vascular Plants of Ohio (2001). I have listed the common name(s) the species most frequently goes by as well as the current status within the state's Natural Heritage Database if it applies: green for species of concern; yellow for threatened species; orange for endangered species; and red for extirpated species. In addition to the over 20 state-listed species, Ohio is home to two species which are federally listed as threatened: small whorled pogonia (Isotria medeoloides) and eastern prairie fringed orchid (Platanthera leucophaea).
Many species exhibit different recognized color forms; such as the pale form of the putty-root, Aplectrum hyemale f. pallidum or the albino version of the pink lady's slipper, Cypripedium acaule f. albiflorum. I have not included these in the list below since they are merely abnormalities in pigmentation and not morphological differences.
Ohio Orchid Species Checklist
#1 ___ Aplectrum hyemale (Muhl. ex Willd.) Torr. Common Name: Putty-root, Adam-and-Eve
#2 ___ Arethusa bulbosa L. Common Name: Dragon's Mouth, Arethusa State: ENDANGERED
#3 ___ Calopogon tuberosus (L.) Britton, Sterns, & Poggenb. Common Name: Grass Pink, Calopogon State: THREATENED
#4 ___ Coeloglossum (Dactylorhiza) viride (L.) Hartm. Common Name: Long-Bracted Orchid, Green-Bracted Orchid, Frog Orchid State: ENDANGERED
#5 ___ Corallorhiza maculata Raf. Common Name: Spotted Coral-Root Status: SPECIES OF CONCERN
#6 ___ Corallorhiza odontorhiza (Willd.) Nutt. Common Name: Autumn Coral-Root, Late Coralroot, Small-Flowered Coral-Root
#7 ___ Corallorhiza trifida Châtel. Common Name: Early Coral-Root State: ENDANGERED
#8 ___ Corralorhiza wisteriana Conrad Common Name: Wister's Coral-Root, Spring Coral-Root Status: SPECIES OF CONCERN
#9 ___ Cypripedium acaule Aiton Common Name: Pink Lady's-Slipper, Moccasin-Flower
#10 ___ Cypripedium candidum Muhl. ex Willd. Common Name: Small White Lady's-Slipper, White Lady's-Slipper State: ENDANGERED
#11 ___ Cypripedium parviflorum var. makasin (Farw.) Sheviak Common Name: Northern Small Yellow Lady's-Slipper State: ENDANGERED
#12 ___ Cypripedium pubescens Willd Common Name: Large Yellow Lady's-Slipper, Yellow Lady's-Slipper
#13 ___ Cypripedium reginae Walter Common Name: Showy Lady's-Slipper, Queen's Lady's-Slipper State: THREATENED
#14 ___ Cypripedium x andrewsii A. M. Fuller Common Name: Andrew's Lady's-Slipper Natural hybrid between C. candidum x C. parviflorum var. parviflorum
#15 ___ Galearis spectabilis (L.) Raf. Common Name: Showy Orchis
#16 ___ Goodyera pubescens (Willd.) R. Br. Common Name: Downy Rattlesnake-Plantain
#17 ___ Goodyera tesselata Lodd. Common Name: Checkered Rattlesnake-Plantain, Tesselated Rattlesnake-Plantain State: EXTIRPATED
#18 ___ Hexalectris spicata (Walter) Barnhart Common Name: Crested Coral-Root State: SPECIES OF CONCERN
#19 ___ Isotria medeoloides (Pursh) Raf. Common Name: Small Whorled Pogonia State: ENDANGERED Federal: THREATENED
#20 ___ Isotria verticillata Raf. Common Name: Large Whorled Pogonia, Whorled Pogonia
#21 ___ Liparis liliifolia (L.) Rich. ex Lind. Common Name: Large Twayblade, Lily-Leaved Twayblade, Purple Twayblade
#22 ___ Liparis loeselii (L.) Rich. Common Name: Fen Orchid, Loesel's Twayblade, Green Twayblade
#23 ___ Malaxis unifolia Michx. Common Name: Green Adder's-Mouth State: SPECIES OF CONCERN
#24 ___ Neottia (Listera) cordata (L.) R. Brown Common Name: Heart-Leaved Twayblade State: ENDANGERED
#24 ___ Neottia (Listera) cordata (L.) R. Brown Common Name: Heart-Leaved Twayblade State: ENDANGERED
#25 ___ Platanthera aquilonis Sheviak Common Name: Northern Green Orchid State: EXTIRPATED
#26 ___ Platanthera blephariglottis (Willd.) Lindl. Common Name: White Fringed Orchid, Northern White Fringed Orchid State: ENDANGERED
#27 ___ Platanthera ciliaris (L.) Lindl. Common Name: Yellow Fringed Orchid State: THREATENED
#28 ___ Platanthera clavellata (Michx.) Luer Common Name: Club-Spur Orchid, Green Woodland Orchid, Small Green Wood Orchid
#29 ___ Platanthera flava (L.) Lindl. var. herbiola (R. Br.) Luer Common Name: Northern Tubercled Orchid, Pale Green Orchid
#30 ___ Platanthera grandiflora (Bigelow) Lindl. Common Name: Large Purple Fringed Orchid, Greater Purple Fringed Orchid State: EXTIRPATED
#31 ___ Platanthera hookeri (A. Gray) Lindl. Common Name: Hooker's Orchid State: EXTIRPATED
#32 ___ Platanthera lacera (Michx.) G. Don Common Name: Ragged Fringed Orchid, Green Fringed Orchid
#33 ___ Platanthera leucophaea (Nutt.) Lindl. Common Name: E. Prairie Fringed Orchid State: THREATENED Federal: THREATENED
#34 ___ Platanthera orbiculata (Pursh.) Lindl. Common Name: Round-Leaved Orchid
#35 ___ Platanthera peramoena (fissa ) (A. Gray) A. Gray Common Name: Purple Fringeless Orchid
#36 ___ Platanthera psycodes (L.) Lindl. Common Name: Small Purple Fringed Orchid, Lesser Purple Fringed Orchid State: SPECIES OF CONCERN
#37 ___ Platanthera x andrewsii (M. White) Luer Common Name: Andrew's Fringed Orchid Natural hybrid between P. psycodes x P. lacera
#37 ___ Platanthera x andrewsii (M. White) Luer Common Name: Andrew's Fringed Orchid Natural hybrid between P. psycodes x P. lacera
#38 ___ Pogonia ophioglossoides (L.) Ker Gawl. Common Name: Rose Pogonia, Snake-Mouth Orchid State: THREATENED
#39 ___ Spiranthes cernua (L.) Rich. Common Name: Nodding Ladies'-Tresses
#40 ___ Spiranthes lacera (Raf.) Raf. var. gracilis (Bigelow) Luer Common Name: Southern Slender Ladies'-Tresses, Slender Ladies'-Tresses
#41 ___ Spiranthes lucida (H.H. Eaton) Ames Common Name: Shining Ladies'-Tresses, Wide-Leaved Ladies'-Tresses State: SPECIES OF CONCERN
#42 ___ Spiranthes magnicamporum Sheviak Common Name: Great Plains Ladies'-Tresses, Prairie Ladies'-Tresses State: SPECIES OF CONCERN
#43 ___ Spiranthes ochroleuca (Rydb.) Rydb. Common Name: Yellow Ladies'-Tresses, Yellow Nodding Ladies'-Tresses
#44 ___ Spiranhes ovalis Lindl. var. erostellata Catling Common Name: Lesser Ladies'-Tresses, Oval Ladies'-Tresses, October Ladies'-Tresses
#45 ___ Spiranthes romanzoffiana Cham. Common Name: Hooded Ladies'-Tresses State: THREATENED
#46 ___ Spiranthes tuberosa Raf. Common Name: Little Ladies'-Tresses, Slender Ladies'-Tresses
#47 ___ Spiranthes vernalis Engelm. @ A. Gray Common Name: Grass-leaved Ladies'-Tresses, Spring Ladies'-Tresses, Narrow-Leaved Ladies'-Tresses
#48 ___ Tipularia discolor (Pursh) Nutt. Common Name: Cranefly Orchid
#49 ___ Triphora trianthophora (Sw.) Rydb. Common Name: Three Birds Orchid, Nodding Pogonia State: SPECIES OF CONCERN
