Fringed Orchids in Your Pocket: A Guide to Native Platanthera Species of the Continental United States and Canada (Bur Oak Guide) [1 ed.] 1587298120, 9781587298127

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a bur oak guide

Fringed Orchids

&

in your pocket A Guide to Native Platanthera Species of the Continental United States and Canada

Paul Martin Brown

Northern white fringed orchid Platanthera blephariglottis (Willd.) Lindl. forma holopetala (Lindl.) P.M. Brown: entire-lip form White flowers; lip undivided, isthmus short and broad; spur 1.5–2.5 cm long, longer than lip; plants much larger south summer Local to occasional in bogs, along wet roadsides, under powerlines; very rare west range: Conn., Del., Ga., Ill., Maine, Md., Mass., Mich., N.H., N.J., N.Y., N.C., Ohio, Pa., R.I., S.C., Vt., Va.; N.B., Nfld., N.S., Ont., P.E.I., Que.

Southern white fringed orchid Platanthera conspicua (Lindl.) P.M. Brown White flowers; lip undivided, isthmus slender and pronounced; spur 3–5 cm long, much longer than lip late summer to fall Local to occasional in bogs, along wet roadsides, under powerlines, on open savannahs, in pine flatwoods along southeast coastal plain; very rare west range: Ala., Fla., Ga., Miss., N.C., S.C., Tex.

Monkey-face Platanthera integrilabia Correll White flowers; lip undivided, margin with irregular fine teeth; spur 3.5–6 cm long, much longer than lip; relatively few flowers with 2–3 leaves on lower portion of stem summer Rare on Cumberland Plateau in wet woods, marshes, bogs, on seeping slopes range: Ala., Ga., Ky., Miss., N.C., S.C., Tenn.

Chapman’s fringed orchid Platanthera chapmanii (Small) Luer Bright orange flowers; lip undivided; spur 8–17 mm long, about equal to lip, opening keyhole-shaped; plants superficially resembling P. ×channellii late july to early august Very rare in pine flatwoods, thickets, along damp roadsides range: north Fla., south Ga., east Tex.

Orange fringed orchid Platanthera ciliaris Lindl. Orange to deep yellow flowers; lip undivided; spur 2–3.5 cm long, longer than lip, opening round midsummer Locally common, rare north in pine flatwoods, old fields, cemeteries, meadows, seeps, along roadsides range: Ala., Ark., Conn., Del., D.C., Fla., Ga., Ill., Ind., Ky., La., Md., Mass., Mich., Miss., Mo., N.J., N.Y., N.C., Ohio, Okla., Pa., R.I., S.C., Tenn., Tex., Va., W.Va.; Ont.

Orange crested orchid Platanthera cristata Michx. forma straminea P.M. Brown: pale yellow–flowered form Orange to yellow flowers; lip undivided; spur 6–10 mm long, shorter than or equal to lip, opening round midsummer Rare to local in pine flatwoods, meadows, seeps, along damp roadsides range: Ala., Ark., Del., Fla., Ga., La., Md., Mass., Miss., N.J., N.Y., N.C., Pa., S.C., Tenn., Tex., Va.

Pale fringed orchid Platanthera pallida P.M. Brown Pale creamy yellow or ivory flowers; lip undivided, strongly recurved; spur 2–3 mm long, much shorter than lip; plants superficially resembling P. ×canbyi midsummer Rare endemic in pitch pine, interdunal hollows on eastern Long Island range: east N.Y.

Eastern prairie fringed orchid Platanthera leucophaea (Nutt.) Lindl. Creamy white, intensely fragrant flowers; lip 3-lobed; spur 2.8–4.7 cm long, longer than lip; slender plants to 1 m tall; not flowering annually  early to midsummer Rare and local on damp prairies, in fens, along lakeshores; primarily east of Mississippi River range: Ill., Ind., Iowa, La., Maine, Mich., Mo., Nebr., N.J., N.Y., Ohio, Okla., Va., Wis.; Ont.

Western prairie fringed orchid Platanthera praeclara Sheviak & Bowles White to greenish white fragrant flowers; lip 3-lobed; spur 3.6–5.5 cm long, much longer than lip; stout plants to 1 m tall early summer Rare and local on damp prairies, in adjacent ditches, often forming large colonies; primarily west of Mississippi River range: Iowa, Kans., Minn., Mo., Nebr., N.D., Okla., S.D., Wyo.; Man.

Large purple fringed orchid Platanthera grandiflora (Bigelow) Lindl. forma albiflora (Rand & Redfield) Catling: white-flowered form forma bicolor P.M. Brown: bicolor-flowered form forma carnea P.M. Brown: pink-flowered form forma mentotonsa (Fern.) P.M. Brown: entire-lip form Pale to deep purple flowers; lip 3-lobed, segments usually fringed to more than 1/3 its length; spur 2.1–3.5 cm long, longer than lip, opening round; raceme 3–5 cm in diameter, oblong summer Locally common in wet woods, damp fields, roadside ditches, along streamsides range: Conn., Maine, Md., Mass., N.H., N.J., N.Y., N.C., Ohio, Pa., R.I., Tenn., Vt., Va., W.Va.; N.B., Nfld., N.S., Ont., P.E.I., Que.

Small purple fringed orchid Platanthera psycodes (L.) Lindl. forma albiflora (R. Hoffm.) Whiting & Catling: white-flowered form forma ecalcarata (Bryan) P.M. Brown: spurless form forma fernaldii (Rousseau & Rouleau) P.M. Brown: dwarf form forma rosea P.M. Brown: pink-flowered form forma varians (Bryan) P.M. Brown: entire-lip form Pale to deep purple flowers; lip 3-lobed, segments shallowly fringed usually to less than 1/3 its length; spur 1.2–1.8 cm long, slightly longer than lip, opening an oval or transverse dumbbell; raceme 2–3 cm in diameter tapering to top summer Locally common in wet woods, damp to dry fields, roadside ditches; rare south and west range: Conn., Ga., Ill., Ind., Iowa, Ky., Maine, Mass., Mich., Minn., N.H., N.J., N.Y., N.C., Ohio, Pa., R.I., Tenn., Vt., Va., W.Va., Wis.; Man., N.B., Nfld., N.S., Ont., P.E.I., Que.

Shriver’s frilly orchid Platanthera shriveri P.M. Brown

Green fringed orchid, ragged orchid Platanthera lacera (Michx.) G. Don Green to yellow to nearly white flowers; lip 3-lobed, segments deeply lacerated; spur 1.1–2.3 cm long, more or less equal to lip length; highly variable in number of flowers and height late spring through summer Locally common in wet woods, damp to dry fields, roadside ditches; rare south and west range: Ala., Ark., Conn., Del., D.C., Ill., Ind., Kans., Ky., Maine, Md., Mass., Mich., Minn., Miss., Mo., N.H., N.J., N.Y., N.C., Ohio, Okla., Pa., R.I., S.C., Tex., Vt., Va., W.Va., Wis.; Man., N.B., Nfld., N.S., Ont., P.E.I., Que.

tom nelson

tom nelson

Purple flowers; lip 3-lobed, segments deeply lacerated; spur 3–4.5 cm long, much longer than lip; plants superficially resembling P. ×keenanii midsummer Rare to local endemic in open thickets in central Appalachians; described October 2008 range: W.Va.

Purple fringeless orchid Platanthera peramoena (A. Gray) A. Gray forma doddsiae P.M. Brown: white-flowered form Phlox-purple flowers; lip 3-lobed, margin with irregular fine teeth; spur 2–3 cm long, longer than lip midsummer  Rare to local in wet woodlands, old fields, ditches, on damp powerlines, along streamsides  range: Ala., Ark., Del., Ga., Ill., Ind., Ky., Md., Miss., Mo., N.J., N.C., Ohio, Pa., S.C., Tenn., Va., W.Va.

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Andrews’ hybrid fringed orchid Platanthera ×andrewsii (Niles) Luer (P. lacera × P. psycodes) Apalachicola hybrid fringed orchid Platanthera ×apalachicola   P.M. Brown & S. Stewart (P. chapmanii × P. cristata) Beckner’s hybrid fringed orchid Platanthera ×beckneri P.M. Brown (P. conspicua × P. cristata)

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Channell’s hybrid fringed orchid Platanthera ×channellii J.P. Folsom (P. ciliaris × P. cristata) Superficially may resemble   P. chapmanii

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Canby’s hybrid fringed orchid Platanthera ×canbyi (Ames) Luer (P. blephariglottis × P. cristata) Superficially may resemble P. pallida

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Bicolor hybrid fringed orchid Platanthera ×bicolor (Raf.) Luer (P. blephariglottis × P. ciliaris)

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Mysterious hybrid fringed orchid Platanthera ×enigma P.M. Brown (P. grandiflora × P. psycodes) Holland River hybrid fringed orchid Platanthera ×hollandiae   Catling & Brownell (P. lacera × P. leucophaea)

Keenan’s hybrid fringed orchid Platanthera ×keenanii P.M. Brown (P. grandiflora × P. lacera) Superficially may resemble P. shriveri

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Luer’s hybrid fringed orchid Platanthera ×lueri P.M. Brown (P. ciliaris × P. conspicua)

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Osceola hybrid fringed orchid Platanthera ×osceola   P.M. Brown & S. Stewart (P. chapmanii × P. ciliaris)

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Voss’ hybrid rein orchid ×Platanthopsis vossii   (Case) P.M. Brown (Gymnadeniopsis clavellata   × Platanthera blephariglottis)

francis underwood

Reznicek’s hybrid fringed orchid Platanthera ×reznicekii   Catling, Brownell & G. Allen (P. leucophaea × P. psycodes)

This basic key to the fringed-lipped Platanthera does not accommodate color and growth forms or hybrids. Species pairs and groups with natural relationships are not unusual in fringed orchids, and to help in comparisons they have been treated in that manner in this guide. Height is variable in all species; unless noted, the leaves are remarkably similar. 1a lip 3-lobed (divided): 5 1b lip undivided, margin fringed, eroded, lacerated, or toothed: 2 2a lip margin with irregular fine teeth but not fringed, flowers white: P. integrilabia 2b lip margin conspicuously fringed: 3 3a flowers white i: lip with a very short, broad isthmus; fringe lacerated; spur usually less than 2.6 cm; widespread in northeast U.S. and Canada: P. blephariglottis ii: lip narrowed to a slender, extended isthmus; fringe thread-like; spur greater than 3 cm; southeast coastal plain: P. conspicua 3b flowers yellow or orange: 4 4a spur longer than lip: P. ciliaris 4b spur equal to or shorter than lip i: flowers pale yellow to ivory; spur very short, 2–3 mm long, lip recurved: P. pallida ii: flowers brilliant orange to yellow, rarely pale yellow a: spur 8–17 mm long; spur opening keyhole-shaped: P. chapmanii b: spur 6–10 mm long; spur opening round: P. cristata 5a petals entire, lip deeply lacerated; flowers green to yellow to nearly white: P. lacera 5b petals shallowly fringed at tips: 6 6a lip margin with irregular fine teeth: P. peramoena 6b lip margin distinctly fringed or lacerated: 7 7a flowers shades of purple: 8 7b flowers white: 9 8a lip margin fringed to more than 1/2 its length; spur opening round i: lip margin rarely fringed to more than 1/2 its length, petals and dorsal sepal overlapped and forming a hood: P. grandiflora ii: lip margin deeply lacerated often to more than 3/4 its length, petals and dorsal sepal erect and separate for most of their length: P. shriveri 8b lip margin fringed to less than 1/3 its length, spur opening a transverse dumbbell: P. psycodes 9a petals white, rounded; sepals green to whitish green; spur to 4.7 cm long; plants primarily east of Mississippi River: P. leucophaea 9b petals and sepals creamy to greenish white, fan-shaped; spur to 5.5 cm long; plants primarily west of Mississippi River: P. praeclara Note: Gymnadeniopsis clavellata was at various times included in Platanthera.

sepal

opening

petal

spur lip 3-lobed (divided)

lip undivided

lip 3-lobed (divided)

Drawings by Stan Folsom

Recent work by Baumbach and Lückel published in Die Orchidee 60 (1/2), 2009, presented evidence for the restoration of the genus Blephariglottis for the fringe-lipped Platanthera.

Fringed Orchids in Your Pocket T he fr inged o r ch i ds, socalled because of the delicately fringed petals and lips on many of the species, comprise some of the largest and showiest native orchids found in North America north of Mexico. Compiled and illustrated by long-time orchid specialist Paul Martin Brown, this pocket guide to the fringed orchids forms part of a series that will cover all the wild orchids of the continental United States and Canada. Brown provides a description, general distributional information, time of flowering, and habitat requirements for each species as well as a complete list of hybrids and the many different growth and color forms that can make identifying orchids so challenging. For the fringed-lipped orchids, which make up some of the most intriguing and richly colored of all wild orchids, he includes information on fourteen species and thirteen hybrids. By comparing the living plant and its description with Brown’s striking photos, then using the simple key, both professional and amateur naturalists should be able to achieve the satisfaction of identifying the native orchids that present a welcome surprise to observant hikers. a bur oak guide

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