Platanthera brevifolia
Platanthera hyperborea
platanthera de hoja corta, short-leaf bog-orchid, shortflower bog orchid
few, ascending-sheathing, little more than bracts, scarcely reduced distally;
bracts often lacking;
blade ovate to elliptic-ovate, 2.5–6 × 0.7–2 cm.
few–several, ascending to arcuate-spreading, scattered along stem or clustered at base, sometimes in basal rosette, gradually reduced to bracts distally;
blade elliptic-oblong to ovate-oblong or linear-lanceolate, 3–14 × 0.4–4 cm.
lax to rather dense.
lax to very dense.
resupinate, not showy, green to yellowish green;
lateral sepals reflexed or sometimes spreading;
petals ovate- to lance-falcate, margins entire;
lip descending or reflexed, linear to linear-oblong or linear-lanceolate, 6–10(–14) mm, margins entire, often with series of low parallel ridges on adaxial surface;
spur cylindric or tapering toward apex, 9–20 mm, apex usually rather acute;
rostellum lobes somewhat divergent, directed forward, rounded-subangular, rather prominent;
pollinaria straight;
pollinia remaining enclosed in anther sacs;
viscidia orbiculate to broadly elliptic-oblong;
ovary rather slender to stout, mostly 6–12 mm.
resupinate, not showy but sometimes conspicuous, yellowish or perhaps whitish green;
lateral sepals spreading to slightly reflexed;
petals ovate-falcate, margins entire;
lip descending, usually ovate with abruptly dilated base or occasionally lanceolate with less prominent dilation, without basal thickening, 4–5.5(–6) × (1.5–)2–2.5 mm;
spur clavate, somewhat tapering toward obtuse apex, 4–6 mm;
rostellum lobes divergent, directed downward, very small, obscure, rounded;
pollinaria straight;
pollinia often protruding from anther sacs, commonly fragmenting and pollen masses trailing onto stigma;
viscidia linear to linear-oblong;
ovary rather slender to stout, mostly 6–10 mm.
= 84.
Platanthera brevifolia
Platanthera hyperborea
The greatly reduced herbage of Platanthera brevifolia is distinctive. Robust plants may lack developed leaves altogether, with merely a few reduced bracts at the base of the stem and an inflorescence comprising nearly the entire height of the plant. A strong mycotrophic mode is suggested by the occurrence in some colonies of truly albino plants without pigmentation.
Platanthera brevifolia largely replaces P. sparsiflora in Mexico and is very distinctive at its northern limit in the United States. Although P. sparsiflora is exceedingly variable in floral dimensions, in habit, and in the number, size, and placement of leaves, the pattern seen in P. brevifolia seems to lie outside this range of variation. With a generally longer spur and very different ecologic requirements, it is here treated at the specific level. Nonetheless, P. brevifolia is reported to intergrade with P. sparsiflora in Mexico (R. McVaugh and W. R. Anderson. 1974+, vol. 16, pp. 254–256), yet the latter species probably does not range there beyond a possible occurrence in Baja California (M. A. Soto 1988).
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
The relationship between Platanthera hyperborea and P. huronensis is unclear. Typical Icelandic material differs from P. huronensis in its shorter, broader, more extremely dilated, and evidently often yellowish lip; shorter, more strongly clavate spur; and narrower viscidia. The plants furthermore appear to be autogamous. Most Greenland material appears to be entirely comparable to these Icelandic plants. In both areas, however, considerable variation occurs, and some plants suggest P. huronensis. Whether this variation reflects the occurrence in these areas of two taxa or is within P. hyperborea is unknown.
Platanthera hyperborea refers to a bewildering complex that has defied satisfactory treatment. The number and delimitation of species, indeed, the nature of species, in the group is unclear. The system proposed here utilizes more characters than past attempts and it is to be hoped it is an improvement over its predecessors, but it is far from definitive. Hybridization is frequently invoked as an explanation for much of the variation encountered in the group, and some of the possible crossings have been given names. Until species can be properly delimited, however, it is premature to recognize putative hybrids with formal epithets.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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