Platanthera psycodes
Platanthera zothecina
lesser purple fringe bog-orchid, lesser purple fringe orchid, small purple-fringe orchid
alcove bog orchid
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.
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 very dense.
rather lax.
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, 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.
= 42.
Platanthera psycodes
Platanthera zothecina
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.
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.)
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