[The Orchid Family in the Columbia River Gorge of Oregon and Washington]

Bog Orchids of the Columbia River Gorge of Oregon and Washington

The Genus Platanthera

Close-up view of the flower of Slender Bog Orchid: Platanthera stricta (Synonyms: Habenaria hyperborea var. viridiflora, Habenaria saccata, Habenaria stricta, Limnorchis saccata, Limnorchis stricta, Limnorchis viridiflora, Platanthera convallariifolia, Platanthera dilatata var. gracilis, Platanthera hyperborea var. viridiflora, Platanthera saccata)

Slender Bog Orchid: Platanthera stricta

Scentbottle, Scent Bottle Orchid, White Bog Orchid: Platanthera dilatata var. dilatata (Synonyms: Habenaria dilatata, Habenaria dilatata var. angustifolia, Habenaria dilatata var. dilatata, Limnorchis dilatata) - Flowers white. Spur thick, not strongly curved and generally about the length of the lower lip.

Long-spurred Bog Orchid, Sierra Bog Orchid, White Bog Orchid: Platanthera dilatata var. leuchostachys (Synonyms: Habenaria dilatata var. leuchostachys, Habenaria leucostachys, Limnorchis graminifolia, Limnorchis leucostachys, Limnorchis leucostachys var. leucostachys, Limnorchis leucostachys var. robusta, Platanthera leucostachys) - Flowers white. Spur very slender, strongly curved and generally at least 150% the length of the lower lip.

Elegant Rein Orchid, Elegant Piperia, Hillside Rein Orchid, Long-spurred Rein Orchid: Platanthera elegans ssp. elegans (Synonyms: Habenaria elegans, Habenaria greenei, Piperia elegans ssp. elegans, Piperia maritima, Piperia multiflora) - Spur much longer than lower lip of flower. Sepals white with green central stripe. Spur curves downward along stem. Flowers are densely packed along the scape.

Denseflower Rein Orchid, Dense-flower Rein Orchid, Green-flowered Piperia: Platanthera elongata (Synonyms: Habenaria unalascensis ssp. elata, Habenaria unalascensis var. elata, Piperia elegans var. elata, Piperia elongata, Piperia lancifolia, Piperia longispica, Platanthera unalascensis ssp. elata) - Spur much longer than lower lip of flower. Sepals green, yellow-green or translucent. Spur curves downward along stem. Possibly seen in the vicinity of Catherine Creek?

Whiteflower Rein Orchid, White-flower Rein Orchid, White-lip Rein Orchid: Platanthera ephemerantha (Synonyms: Habenaria unalascensis, Piperia candida) ? - Collected in Klickitat County, but I'm not sure where....I've possibly seen it at the DNR quarry at the Yakama nation boundary on Mt. Adams? Spur equal to or shorter than the lip. Sepals are white with central green stripe. Racemes often one-sided (secund) or nearly so and laxly flowered.

Canyon Bog Orchid, Few-flowered Bog Orchid, Sparse-flowered Bog Orchid: Platanthera sparsiflora (Synonyms: Habenaria dilatata, Habenaria dilatata var. laxiflora, Habenaria sparsiflora, Habenaria sparsiflora var. laxiflora, Habenaria sparsiflora var. sparsiflora, Limnorchis sparsiflora, Platanthera sparsiflora var. sparsiflora) - Flowers green. Spur short, thick and pouch-like (like a double sac), usually less than 2/3 the length of the lower lip.

Slender Bog Orchid: Platanthera stricta (Synonyms: Habenaria hyperborea var. viridiflora, Habenaria saccata, Habenaria stricta, Limnorchis saccata, Limnorchis stricta, Limnorchis viridiflora, Platanthera convallariifolia, Platanthera dilatata var. gracilis, Platanthera hyperborea var. viridiflora, Platanthera saccata) - Flowers green. Spur slender and generally shorter than the lower lip.

Royal Rein-orchid, Royal Rein Orchid, Suksdorf's Piperia, Suksdorf's Rein Orchid: Platanthera transversa (Synonyms: Habeneria elegans, Habenaria unalascensis var. elata, Piperia transversa - Spur much longer than the lower lip of the flower. Sepals white with green central stripe. Spur held horizontal to the scape.

Alaska Rein Orchid, Alaskan Rein Orchid, Short-spurred Bog Orchid, Short-spurred Piperia, Slender-spire Orchid: Platanthera unalascensis (Synonyms: Habenaria unalascencis, Habenaria schischmareffiana, Piperia unalascensis, Platanthera cooperi, Spiranthes unalascensis) - Spur equal to or shorter than the lip. Sepals green, yellow-green or translucent.


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