Platanthera clavellata
Platanthera brevifolia
little club-spur bog-orchid, small green wood orchid
platanthera de hoja corta, short-leaf bog-orchid, shortflower bog orchid
1(–2), on basal half of stem, ascending to spreading, usually abruptly reduced to bracts distally;
blade oblanceolate to oblong, linear-oblong, or elliptic, 3–19 × 0.8–3.5 cm.
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.
moderately dense.
lax to rather dense.
resupinate, often incompletely so and held at angle, not showy, rather inconspicuous pale green to dull yellowish green;
lateral sepals porrect;
petals ovate to obovate;
lip oblong, obscurely 3-lobed, without basal thickening, 3–7 × 3–4 mm, margins sometimes dentate-lacerate, apex truncate;
spur clavate, 7–13 mm;
rostellum lobes directed downward, very short, truncate;
pollinaria straight or slightly curved laterally;
pollinia fragmenting, pollen masses trailing down onto stigma;
viscidia linear to linear lanceolate;
ovary rather stout, 6–11 mm.
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.
= 42.
Platanthera clavellata
Platanthera brevifolia
In common with Platanthera nivea and P. integra, the column of P. clavellata bears a series of lateral projections that are directed forward; the upper pair is elaborately adorned and may be glandular. It appears that this species is inappropriately placed in Platanthera. See note under 30. P. nivea.
The broader leaves cited as distinguishing Platanthera clavellata var. ophioglossoides are more prevalent in the North, but occur throughout the range of the species. In some areas populations commonly display a complete range of leaf shape; this feature alone is of no taxonomic significance.
The unusual and infrequent hybrid Platanthera blephariglottis × P. clavellata is P. ×vossii Case.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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.)
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