Identify that Plant

Red maple (Acer rubrum) is a widely distributed species of maple from northern latitudes through southern latitudes in the eastern and central regions of the United States.

Its leaves grow in pairs, in an opposite and decussate arrangement along the twigs, stems and branches.

Red maple trees usually have staminate flowers on one tree while pistillate flowers grow on a different tree.  The staminate flowers open first and create the red-tinged trees we notice in early spring.

Shortly after that, the pistillate flowers open and their fertilized ovaries become the familiar two-winged samaras.

The brilliantly colored leaves of Red maple could be a range of colors from yellow (as shown in the top photo), through the spectrum of oranges, to a vibrant red.

Watch this video to learn the meaning of “decussate,” to see both male and female Red maple (Acer rubrum) flowers up close, to study the tree’s leaves in greater detail, and to watch this tree through all four seasons of its annual growth cycle.

One of spring’s beautiful flowers in the moist woods of eastern and central North America is the Showy orchis (Galearis spectabilis). This perennial plant’s pink-lavender-purple and white flowers clearly designate it as an orchid.

If you know where to look, having found this native orchid in a previous year, you can seek its early leaves and developing flower buds in the same location the following spring.

Each flower’s helmet, or hood, may be pink or lavender in color, while the lip is predominantly white.

With care, you can tip the small flower back and look closely at its reproductive parts.  These include the orchid’s column with its fused stamens, style and stigma — along with two pollinia.  In this instance, both pollinia have been detached by an insect pollinator (or two).

Showy orchis has two broadly elliptic leaves with parallel venation.  In the next photo, there are several plants growing closely together.

Watch this video to see more Showy orchis (Galearis spectabilis) flowers including close views of their reproductive parts, to study the flower bracts and spurs, and to observe hundreds of very tiny seeds.