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elegant rein orchid, hillside rein orchid

Alaska rein orchid, short-spurred piperia

Stems

15–65 cm tall.

20–60 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.

basal, 2–4, oblanceolate, 10–12 × 1–3 cm, prostrate and flaccid, withering at or before anthesis;

apex obtuse.

Inflorescences

densely to loosely 20–60 or more-flowered.

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.

more or less spreading, green to greenish yellow;

dorsal sepal ovate, 2–4 × 1–2 mm, converging with petals;

lateral sepals ovate, 2–4 × 1–2 mm, spreading to recurved;

petals ovate-lanceolate, sickleshaped, 2–4 × 1–1.5 mm, converging with dorsal sepal and forming a hood over the column;

lip ovate-elliptic, 2–4 × 1–3 mm, often descending;

spur more or less equal in length to lip; cylindrical and tapering, 3–4 mm.

2n

=42.

=42.

Platanthera elegans

Platanthera unalascensis

Distribution
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
[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.

Shady forests, meadows, rocky hillsides. Flowering Jun–Aug. 0–2200m. BR, BW, Casc, CR, ECas, Lava, Sisk, WV. CA, ID, NV, WA; throughout western and northern North America. Native.

Coastal individuals may be distinctly shorter and more densely flowered than those from inland populations.

Source Flora of Oregon, volume 1, page 327
James Riser
Flora of Oregon, volume 1, page 329
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
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 Habenaria unalascensis, Piperia unalascensis
Web links