Liparis liliifolia aka Brown Widelip Orchid

Liparis liliifolia is an orchid that lives for many years. Its names include purple twayblade, lily twayblade, and brown widelip orchid. Its native range spans southeastern Canada and the eastern United States. It also grows wild in the north-central United States. North Carolina has native plants, but their numbers vary by region. It grows in moist woods and on floodplains. More plants grow in the state's mountains than near its coast.

Each plant has two basal leaves at its base. An upright flower stalk rises above them. The green leaves shine and feel smooth and a bit fleshy. They reach 0.25–0.5 feet [0.08–0.15 metres] long. Each leaf is about half as wide as long. Its edges are smooth, with a slight ridge beneath. The stalk lacks hairs and may look green or reddish. A bulb-like corm grows below ground and bears fibrous roots. A new corm forms beside the old one. It supplies the next set of leaves and flowers.

Flowers open from late spring into early summer. The raceme, a stalk with flowers, stands 0.33–0.83 feet [0.10–0.25 metres] tall. It holds five to 30 blooms. Each bloom spans about 0.06–0.08 feet [0.02–0.025 metres]. Three sepals and three petals ring a short column. This column holds the parts that help the flower reproduce. The narrow sepals have a greenish-white tint. Two pale purple petals hang down like threads. The wider lip has faint purple veins. Flowers open at the raceme's base, then toward its tip. A colony may bloom for three to four weeks. Upright, oval seed capsules form next and appear in fall. They split and let the wind carry many tiny seeds.

This orchid suits part sun or light, dappled shade. It grows in well-drained soil, from moist to dry. It can grow in rich loam or sandy loam. Thin, rocky soil also suits it. It likes mildly acid soil; the source lists neutral soil too. Its reported hardiness spans USDA zones 2–8. It grows at a moderate rate. Seeds need a matching Rhizoctonia/Tulasnella fungus to sprout and grow. This need limits how growers can raise plants from seed.

The flowers provide this woodland wildflower's main point of visual interest. NC State lists woodland, native, and cottage gardens as settings. Yet it warns against planting this species in home landscapes. It cites the plant's vulnerable status in North Carolina. That state label does not set a global rank for its survival. Deer and cottontail rabbits eat its basal leaves. The supplied sources name no specific insect pests or diseases. They give no evidence of human food uses or toxicity.