A close-up of a flower of white bog orchid. Note the thick (in this case) greenish spur which is about equal in length to the lower lip of the flower.
White bog orchid is a lovely orchid of moist places, with single, stout, hollow stems to 25-50 cm high. The fleshy sheathing leaves cover the lower part of the stem. The lower leaves range from 5-20 cm long, and become reduced in size upwards on the stem.
The flowers are white, showy, and numerous, forming a spike at the apex of the stem. The flowers are about 15-18 mm long with a lanceolate lip from 6-8 mm long, which is dilated at the base. The spur is about as long as the lip. The upper sepal and 2 petals form a hood. The lower 2 sepals spread to each side of the flower.
Two varieties of white bog orchid may be found in the Columbia River Gorge. Both are similar, but variety dilatata has a thicker spur which is straighter and about as long as the lip (See photo at right.). Variety leucostachys has a slender, strongly curved spur which is about half as long as the lip.
White bog orchid is a plant of wet meadows, moist forest edges, and seeps.
Habenaria dilatata is found over much of North America. It may be found from Alaska to Greenland and hence south to California, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, South Dakota, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and New York.
In the Columbia River Gorge, it may be found from between 600'-4000' from east of Larch Mt. east to adjacent to the Klickitat River.
