Ask the Chatbot Games & Quizzes History & Society Science & Tech Biographies Animals & Nature Geography & Travel Arts & Culture ProCon Money Videos
snakemouth
References
Images
Single Pogonia ophioglossoides, or snakemouth orchid, with three pale pink petals and a fringed, deep purple lip, set against a blurred green background.
Britannica AI Icon

snakemouth

plant
Also known as: Pogonia ophioglossoides, adder’s mouth, rose pogonia(Show More)
Written by
The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

The Information Architects maintain a master list of the topics included in the corpus of  EncyclopĂŠdia Britannica, and create and manage the relationships between them.
The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Last updated

Quick Summary

Single Pogonia ophioglossoides, or snakemouth orchid, with three pale pink petals and a fringed, deep purple lip, set against a blurred green background.
Snakemouth A showy snakemouth (Pogonia ophioglossoides) orchid in bloom.

The term "snakemouth" refers to a showy bog orchid, scientifically known as Pogonia ophioglossoides. This plant is found in eastern North America and Japan. Its pink flowers are notable for resembling the open mouth of a snake, which gives the plant its common name. It is also sometimes called snakemouth pogonia.1

"Snakeweed" is a broader term used for various plants that are popularly associated with snakes. This association can stem from their appearance, habitat, or traditional use in treating snakebites. A specific example of snakeweed is the American genus Gutierrezia, which includes composite herbs or low shrubs characterized by clustered yellow flower heads.2

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
2 Britannica Sources
  1. snakemouth
  2. snakeweed

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.