Malaxis bayardii

{{Short description|Species of orchid}}

{{Speciesbox

|image =

|status = CR

|status_system = IUCN3.1

|status_ref = {{cite iucn |author=Goedeke, T. |author2=Sharma, J. |author3=Treher, A. |author4=Frances, A. |author5=Poff, K. |date=2015 |title=Malaxis bayardii |volume=2015 |page=e.T64176353A64176361 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-4.RLTS.T64176353A64176361.en |access-date=13 November 2021}}

|genus = Malaxis

|species = bayardii

|authority = Fernald

|synonyms =Malaxis bayardii fo. kelloggiae P.M. Br.

|synonyms_ref =

}}

Malaxis bayardii, or Bayard's adder's-mouth orchid,{{PLANTS |id=MABA6 |taxon=Malaxis bayardii |accessdate=28 June 2015}} is a species of orchid native to northeastern North America. It is found from Massachusetts to North Carolina, with isolated populations in Ohio and Nova Scotia.{{BONAP|ref |genus=Malaxis |species=bayardii}} There are historical reports of the plant formerly growing in Vermont and New Jersey, but it seems to have been extirpated in those two states{{WCSP}} It grows in dry, open woods and pine barrens at elevations of less than 600 m (2000 feet).{{eFloras|1 |family=Orchidaceae |first1=Paul M. |last1=Catling |first2=Lawrence K. |last2=Magrath}}{{Go Orchids |genus=Malaxis |species=bayardii}}

Malaxis bayardii is a terrestrial herb up to 26 cm (10.4 inches) tall. It produces a pseudobulb up to 20 mm in diameter. It generally has only one leaf, occasionally two, about halfway up the stem. Flowers are small and green, borne in a raceme of up to 70 flowers.{{cite journal |url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/605206#page/467 |last=Fernald |first=Merritt Lyndon |title=Rhodora |volume=38 |issue=455 |pages=402–404 |date=1936}} description in Latin, commentary in English; small line drawings showing flowers{{cite journal |url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/605206#page/474 |last=Fernald |first=Merritt Lyndon |title=Rhodora |volume=38 |issue=455 |at=plate 446, photos of herbarium specimens, figures 1 and 2 at left |date=1936}}{{cite book |last=Fernald |first=Merritt Lyndon |date=1950 |title=Gray's Manual of Botany |url=https://archive.org/details/graysmanualofbot00gray |url-access=registration |edition=8th |pages=i–lxiv, 1–1632 |publisher=American Book Company |location=New York}}{{cite encyclopedia |last=Catling |first=P. M. |date=1991 |title=Systematics of Malaxis bayardii and M. unifolia |encyclopedia=Lindleyana |volume=6 |pages=3–23}}