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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

Photo is of parent taxon

elegant piperia

Habit Plants 12–73(–100) cm. 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.

pleasantly scented or musky;

petals and lip pale green to white;

spur 7–14 mm;

viscidia oblong, 0.6–1 mm, usually more than 2 times as long as wide.

Capsules

5–12 mm.

Seeds

cinnamon brown.

2n

= 42.

Piperia elegans

Piperia elegans subsp. elegans

Phenology Flowering Jun–Sep/Oct.
Habitat Conifer and mixed evergreen forests, coastal scrub, exposed coastal bluff
Elevation 0–1700 m (0–5600 ft)
Distribution
from USDA
w North America
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA; ID; MT; OR; WA; BC
[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.)

Plants on exposed coastal bluffs are shorter and stouter than plants in sheltered or inland localities. Plants in warmer interior locations flower earlier than those on the coast and have fewer stem bracts. The flowers are pollinated by noctuid moths (J. D. Ackerman 1977).

A population in San Francisco, California, is also unusual by having basally attenuate stems and by flowering very late (Sep–Oct).

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

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