Platanthera flava
Platanthera zothecina
northern tubercled bog-orchid, palegreen orchid
alcove 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, scattered along stem, sometimes restricted to proximal portion, wide-spreading, gradually to abruptly reduced distally;
bracts 1 or absent;
blade oblanceolate, narrowly elliptic, oblong, or ovate-elliptic, 7–17 × 1.8–3.5 cm.
lax to dense.
rather lax.
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, green to yellowish green;
lateral sepals reflexed to somewhat spreading;
petals ovate-falcate, margins entire;
lip descending or reflexed, linear-lanceolate to linear-lance-elliptic, 5–12 × 1–3 mm, margins entire, midline scarcely (perhaps variably) thickened toward base;
spur slenderly cylindric, 12–17 mm;
rostellum lobes divergent, directed forward, rounded-subangular, rather prominent;
pollinaria straight;
pollinia remaining enclosed in anther sacs;
viscidia orbiculate to suborbiculate;
ovary rather slender to stout, 9–16 mm.
Platanthera flava
Platanthera zothecina
Varieties 2 (2 in the flora).
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Of conservation concern.
Only recently described, the original publication separated Platanthera zothecina from P. sparsiflora solely on the basis of the former’s spur/lip length ratio of 1.5 and few-flowered habit. In fact, the range in ratios overlaps, with a range of at least 1.3–2.6 in P. zothecina and 0.7–1.6 in P. sparsiflora. Actual spur lengths are more useful for determination, and perhaps more significant, because they may indicate specialization for different pollinators; the very limited overlap in spur lengths supports recognition of P. zothecina. Other features support the separation. The thickened median ridge toward the base of the lip characteristic of P. sparsiflora seems to be lacking in P. zothecina, which instead seems to display a parallel series of low ridges, but this distinction unfortunately cannot be established with certainty from the limited sample available. The columns should be investigated in detail, for a limited sample suggests differences in orientation of anther sacs and rostellum lobes. Platanthera sparsiflora is often fewer flowered than P. zothecina, but the typically few-flowered inflorescences of the latter distal to the broad, spreading, and commonly succulent leaves of an often peculiar whitish green color, contribute a markedly distinctive appearance to the plant.
Because of the restricted distribution of Platanthera zothecina and its recent description, the species is poorly known; the description here is based on few specimens and hence apt to be too restrictive.
(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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