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chaparral orchid, coast piperia, elegant piperia, elegant rein orchid, hillside rein orchid, long-spur piperia, rein orchid, seaside rein orchid, wood rein orchid

Habit Plants 12–73(–100) cm.
Stems

swollen at base (rarely attenuate), 2–12 mm diam. distal to leaves;

bracts (4–)12–37.

Leaves

prostrate;

blade 6–20(–38) × 1–9 cm.

Inflorescences

usually densely flowered, cylindric, 2.5–40 cm;

rachis shorter than peduncle;

bracts 6–24 mm.

Flowers

mostly white, fragrance strong at night;

sepals white with green midvein, 3–7 × 1.6–3 mm;

dorsal sepal ovate to oblong;

lateral sepals usually widespreading, ovate-elliptic to oblong-lanceolate;

petals spreading, recurved, straight, ovate to oblong-lanceolate, (3–)4–6 × 1.5–2.5 mm;

lip recurved, pale greenish to white, triangular-lanceolate to lanceolate, 2.5–7 × 1.5–3.5 mm;

spur usually deflexed, curved, (3–)7–14 mm;

viscidia 0.4–1 × 0.15–0.5 mm;

rostellum blunt.

Capsules

5–12 mm.

Seeds

cinnamon brown.

2n

= 42.

Piperia elegans

Distribution
from USDA
w North America
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Subspecies 2 (2 in the flora).

[Key to subspecies contained in key to species.—Ed.]

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Source FNA vol. 26, p. 573.
Parent taxa Orchidaceae > subfam. Orchidoideae > tribe Orchideae > subtribe Orchidinae > Piperia
Sibling taxa
P. candida, P. colemanii, P. cooperi, P. elongata, P. leptopetala, P. michaelii, P. transversa, P. unalascensis, P. yadonii
Subordinate taxa
P. elegans subsp. decurtata, P. elegans subsp. elegans
Synonyms Platanthera elegans
Name authority (Lindley) Rydberg: Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 28: 270 (1901)
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