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Platanthera blephariglottis - (image 1 of 4)

Taxonomy

Family: Orchidaceae

Habitat

Acidic swamps and bogs.

Associates

Distribution

Newfoundland and Ontario to MI, south to FL and TX. There is one population in Berrien County IN and others in central IL. May have occurred at one time in Cook County IL as well.

Morphology

Erect, herbaceous perennial from a fascicle of fleshy roots, to 1 m. Leaves alternate, cauline; lower 1-3 leaves linear or lance-linear; upper several leaves much reduced. Flowers in a terminal, compact, ovoid inflorescence; flowers white; sepals subrotund or ovate, the lateral ones reflexed against the ovary; lip simple, unlobed, narrowly oblanceolate, fringed except at the base; spur elongate and slender.

Notes

Flowers July to August

Wetland indicator: Obligate

There are two recognized varieties, var. blephariglottis and var. conspicua (Nash) Ames. The former is smaller, more northern, with a range extending south to NJ, PA, and locally in IL. It is also likely the one shown here as it was photographed in the Adirondacks of NY. The latter variety is larger, southern, and occurs along the coastal plain as far north as NJ.

References

Gleason, Henry A. and A. Cronquist. 1991. Manual of Vascular Plants of Northeastern United States and Adjacent Canada. Second Ed.

The New York Botanical Garden. Bronx, NY

Swink, F. and G. Wilhelm. 1994. Plants of the Chicago Region.
Indiana Academy of Science. The Morton Arboretum. Lisle, Illinois.

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