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flat-spur piperia, mountain piperia, royal rein orchid

Habit Plants 12–57 cm.
Stems

basally swollen above tuberoid, 0.7–4.5 mm diam. distal to leaves;

bracts 3–15.

Leaves

prostrate;

blade 6–19 × 1–4.5 cm.

Inflorescences

± densely flowered, 3.5–32 cm;

rachis ± length of peduncle;

bracts 3–12 mm.

Flowers

± white with green or yellow-green midveins, fragrance nocturnal, strong, clovelike;

sepals 2.5–4.5 × 1–2 mm;

dorsal sepal projecting forward between petals, oblong to lanceolate;

lateral sepals reflexed-spreading, obliquely oblong-lanceolate;

petals reflexed-spreading, oblique to falcate, oblong, 2–5 × 1–2 mm;

lip straight to ± deflexed, oblong to ovate-elliptic, 2.2–5.3 × 1–2.5 mm;

spur ± horizontal, straight, 7–12 mm;

viscidia oblong, 0.5–0.7 × 0.2–0.3 mm;

rostellum blunt.

Capsules

4–13 mm.

Seeds

cinnamon brown.

2n

= 42.

Piperia transversa

Phenology Flowering late May–Aug.
Habitat Conifer and mixed evergreen forest, oak woodlands, chaparral
Elevation 0–2600 m (0–8500 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; OR; WA; BC
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Piperia transversa is pollinated by geometrid moths (J. D. Ackerman 1977).

(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. elegans, P. elongata, P. leptopetala, P. michaelii, P. unalascensis, P. yadonii
Name authority Suksdorf: Allg. Bot. Z. Syst. 12: 43. (1906)
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