Platanthera flava
Platanthera huronensis
northern tubercled bog-orchid, palegreen orchid
great lakes rein orchid, green bog orchid, Huron green orchid, Lake Huron bog green orchid, northern green bog-orchid
(1–)2–3(–4), spreading to ascending, gradually to rather abruptly reduced to bracts distally;
blade lanceolate to elliptic-oblong, 5–35 × 1–7 cm.
few–several, ascending, scattered along stem, gradually reduced to bracts distally;
blade oblong to linear-lanceolate, 5–30 × 0.6–7 cm.
lax to dense.
very lax to very dense.
resupinate, inconspicuous, yellowish green;
lateral sepals porrect to reflexed;
petals oblong-orbiculate to ovate, apex somewhat crenulate;
lip descending to commonly reflexed, 2–6 × 1.8–5 mm, base auriculate, with prominent central tubercle, distal margin entire to slightly crenulate;
spur cylindric to strongly clavate, 4–8(–11) mm, apex rarely 2-lobed;
rostellum lobes mostly parallel to slightly diverging, directed downward, minute, obscure;
pollinia remaining enclosed in anther sacs;
viscidia mostly quadrangular, oblong-quadrangular, orbiculate, or broadly asymmetric, commonly canaliculate to nearly cylindric and difficult to assess;
ovary rather slender to stout, mostly 8–10 × 2 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 flava
Platanthera huronensis
Varieties 2 (2 in the flora).
(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.)
1. Lip (excluding auricles) subquadrangular, suborbiculate, or broadly ovate, often emarginate; inflorescences usually rather lax, slender (this enhanced by floral bracts mostly shorter than flowers). | var. flava |
1. Lip (excluding auricles) oblong, usually obtuse, (rarely triangular, acute); inflorescences usually rather dense, stout (this emphasized by floral bracts usually long, often greatly exceeding flowers). | var. herbiola |
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