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lesser purple fringe bog-orchid, lesser purple fringe orchid, small purple-fringe orchid

eastern prairie fringe orchid, eastern prairie white fringe bog-orchid, prairie white fringe orchid

Habit Plants 14–101 cm. Plants 32–112 cm.
Leaves

2–5, wide-spreading, recurved to somewhat ascending, scattered along stem, gradually reduced to bracts distally;

blade lanceolate, oblong-elliptic, or oblong-obovate, 5–22 × 1.5–7 cm.

several to many, ascending, scattered along stem, imperceptibly reduced to bracts distally;

blade lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate, usually to 20 × 4 cm.

Spikes

lax to very dense.

lax to moderately dense.

Flowers

resupinate, showy, lavender- to rose-purple, rarely white;

lateral sepals reflexed to somewhat spreading;

petals spatulate to broadly obovate or cuneate-oblong, margins dentate-lacerate to sparsely fringed;

lip descending to somewhat porrect, deeply 3-lobed, without basal thickening, 5–13 × 5–17 mm, distal margins of lobes fringed, sometimes deeply, lateral lobes often reflexed or slightly elevated above middle lobe, broadly to narrowly cuneate, middle lobe sometimes reflexed, broadly cuneate-flabellate, often emarginate to 2-fid;

spur slenderly cylindric to slightly clavate, 12–22 mm;

rostellum lobes nearly parallel, directed downward, short, rounded;

pollinaria nearly straight;

pollinia remaining enclosed within anther sacs;

viscidia suborbiculate to broadly elliptic;

ovary slender to stout, 9–16 mm.

resupinate, showy, corolla white, calyx green to whitish green;

lateral sepals porrect;

petals obovate to rarely flabellate, apically lacerate;

lip descending to horizontally projecting, deeply 3-lobed, without basal thickening, 14–22 × 15–29 mm, distal margins of lobes deeply incised, fringed, lateral lobes flabellate, usually broad, overlapping middle lobe, middle lobe flabellate, sometimes very broadly, emarginate;

spur slenderly clavate, 28–47 mm;

rostellum lobes nearly parallel, directed downward, short, rounded;

pollinaria geniculate;

pollinia directed forward (column appearing hooded), remaining enclosed in anther sacs;

viscidia orbiculate;

ovary slender, mostly 15–30 mm.

2n

= 42.

= 42.

Platanthera psycodes

Platanthera leucophaea

Phenology Flowering Jun–Aug(–Sep). Flowering Jun–Aug.
Habitat Alluvial and swamp forests, stream banks, riparian meadows, moist and seeping slopes, marshes, roadside banks, ditches, old fields Mesic to wet prairies, marshes, fens, lake shores, old fields
Elevation 0–2000 m (0–6600 ft) 80–300 m (300–1000 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CT; GA; IA; IL; IN; KY; MA; ME; MI; MN; NC; NH; NJ; NY; OH; PA; RI; TN; VA; VT; WI; WV; MB; NB; NF; NS; ON; PE; QC
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
IA; IL; IN; LA; ME; MI; MO; NE; NJ; NY; OH; OK; VA; WI; ON
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Platanthera psycodes is known to hybridize with P. lacera in the northeasternmost portion of its range, where the species bloom simultaneously. Such hybrids are known as P. ×andrewsii (M. White) Luer; see the discussion under P. lacera. A few specimens also suggest very rare hybridization with P. grandiflora.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Of conservation concern.

A very rare hybrid with Platanthera psycodes, known only from Ontario, is P. ×reznicekii Catling, Brownell & G. Allen.

See the discussion under 22. Plantanthera praeclara.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Source FNA vol. 26, p. 565. FNA vol. 26, p. 566.
Parent taxa Orchidaceae > subfam. Orchidoideae > tribe Orchideae > subtribe Orchidinae > Platanthera Orchidaceae > subfam. Orchidoideae > tribe Orchideae > subtribe Orchidinae > Platanthera
Sibling taxa
P. aquilonis, P. blephariglottis, P. brevifolia, P. chapmanii, P. chorisiana, P. ciliaris, P. clavellata, P. convallariifolia, P. cristata, P. dilatata, P. flava, P. grandiflora, P. hookeri, P. huronensis, P. hyperborea, P. integra, P. integrilabia, P. lacera, P. leucophaea, P. limosa, P. macrophylla, P. nivea, P. obtusata, P. orbiculata, P. peramoena, P. praeclara, P. purpurascens, P. sparsiflora, P. stricta, P. tipuloides, P. zothecina
P. aquilonis, P. blephariglottis, P. brevifolia, P. chapmanii, P. chorisiana, P. ciliaris, P. clavellata, P. convallariifolia, P. cristata, P. dilatata, P. flava, P. grandiflora, P. hookeri, P. huronensis, P. hyperborea, P. integra, P. integrilabia, P. lacera, P. limosa, P. macrophylla, P. nivea, P. obtusata, P. orbiculata, P. peramoena, P. praeclara, P. psycodes, P. purpurascens, P. sparsiflora, P. stricta, P. tipuloides, P. zothecina
Synonyms Orchis psycodes, Habenaria psycodes Orchis leucophaea, Habenaria leucophaea
Name authority (Linnaeus) Lindley: Gen. Sp. Orchid. Pl., 294. (1835) (Nuttall) Lindley: Gen. Sp. Orchid. Pl., 294. (1835)
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