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elegant rein orchid, hillside rein orchid

Stems

15–65 cm tall.

Leaves

2–4, oblong to oblanceolate, 10–15 × 1–4 cm;

apex obtuse;

basal leaves prostrate and flaccid, withering at or before anthesis.

Inflorescences

densely to loosely 20–60 or more-flowered.

Flowers

more or less spreading, white to whitish green;

dorsal sepal ovate-lanceolate, 3–5 × 1–2 mm, often with a greenish central stripe;

lateral sepals oblong-lanceolate, slightly oblique, 3–5 × 1–2 mm, spreading to recurved;

petals ovate-lanceolate, slightly oblique, 2–5 × 1–2 mm, spreading, often with a greenish central stripe;

lip triangular-lanceolate, dilated at base and constricted below the middle, 2–6 × 2–3 mm, descending to deflexed;

spur curved and descending; much longer than lip, 15–18 mm, often white or greenish white fading to green at tip.

2n

=42.

Platanthera elegans

Distribution
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Shady to open forests and woodlands, meadows, shrubby hillsides, roadsides, coastal bluffs. Flowering Jun–Aug. 0–1400m. BW, Casc, CR, ECas, Est, Lava, Sisk, WV. CA, ID, WA; north to British Columbia, northeast to MT. Native.

Plants in open sites or on coastal bluffs are often compact with densely flowered stems.

Source Flora of Oregon, volume 1, page 327
James Riser
Sibling taxa
P. aquilonis, P. dilatata, P. elegans, P. elongata, P. ephemerantha, P. huronensis, P. obtusata, P. sparsiflora, P. stricta, P. transversa, P. unalascensis
Synonyms Habenaria elegans, Habenaria greenei, Habenaria unalascensis var. elata, Piperia elegans, Piperia elegans ssp. elegans, Piperia maritima, Piperia multiflora
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