Platanthera ciliaris
Platanthera huronensis
orange fringe bog-orchid, yellow fringe orchid
great lakes rein orchid, green bog orchid, Huron green orchid, Lake Huron bog green orchid, northern green bog-orchid
2–4, spreading to ascending, gradually to somewhat abruptly reduced to bracts distally;
blade lanceolate to lance-elliptic, 5–40 × 0.6–6 cm.
few–several, ascending, scattered along stem, gradually reduced to bracts distally;
blade oblong to linear-lanceolate, 5–30 × 0.6–7 cm.
rather dense.
very lax to very dense.
resupinate, showy, orange;
dorsal sepal entire or rarely emarginate;
lateral sepals reflexed;
petals linear to linear-cuneate, margins apically fringed;
lip porrect to descending, oblong to broadly ovate-spatulate, without basal thickening, 8–19 × 4–18 mm, margins deeply filiform-fringed;
spur slenderly cylindric, rarely slightly clavate, 20–35 mm;
rostellum lobes scarcely to markedly curving forward, slightly spreading, angular-elongate;
pollinaria with stalks nearly straight to curved forward;
pollinia remaining enclosed in anther sacs;
viscidia orbiculate;
ovary slender, 12–27 mm.
resupinate, not showy but sometimes conspicuous, whitish green;
corolla often whiter than calyx;
lateral sepals spreading to slightly reflexed;
petals ovate- to lance-falcate, margins entire;
lip descending or apex adhering to dorsal sepal and petal apices, lanceolate to nearly linear, without basal thickening, 5–12 × 2–4 mm, base slightly to rather markedly rounded-dilated, margins entire;
spur slenderly cylindric to clavate, 4–12 mm, apex usually slenderly tapered;
rostellum lobes divergent, directed downward, very small, obscure, rounded;
pollinaria straight;
pollinia remaining enclosed in anther sacs;
viscidia oblong;
ovary rather slender to stout, mostly 6–15 mm.
= 84.
Platanthera ciliaris
Platanthera huronensis
Selection for longer spurs in response to local pollination pressures on the southeastern Coastal Plain has been documented in Platanthera ciliaris, but the extent of variation is minimal, and the situation does not appear to be comparable to that in P. blephariglottis.
Hybrids of Platanthera ciliaris with P. blephariglottis are P. ×bicolor (Rafinesque) Luer and with P. cristata are P. ×channellii Folsom; until recently the latter was confused with P. chapmanii (J. P. Folsom 1984).
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Northwestern plants commonly treated as Platanthera hyperborea var. viridiflora (Chamisso) Kitamura (note Kitamura’s priority over Luer) are P. huronensis; Chamisso’s name furthermore is synonymous with P. stricta. Aleutian and coastal Alaskan plants are often short, stout, and broad-leaved, and they have incorrectly been referred to 9. P. convallariifolia.
Platanthera huronensis as here delimited does not auto-pollinate in the manner of P. aquilonis. Occasional plants and populations that may be referable to P. huronensis, however, exhibit the movement of pollinia typical of P. aquilonis. These plants might reflect infraspecific variation within an allotetraploid species, result from hybridization, or constitute a distinct taxon. The relationship of some of these plants to P. hyperborea needs study.
Platanthera huronensis is typically intensely fragrant with the sweet, pungent scent of some related species.
Platanthera huronensis is known to hybridize with P. dilatata; it may hybridize with other species as well. Although hybrids of P. dilatata and P. aquilonis may occur, the name traditionally used for them, P. ×media (Rydberg) Luer is a synonym of P. huronensis. See notes under 10. P. aquilonis and 8. P. hyperborea.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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