Distribution

Description

Flowering	late spring to summer.
Height	10-110 cm.
Inflorescence	a spike.
Leaves	usually many, rarely with two; blade  linear to lanceolate to long ovate.
Flowers	white, resupinate; lateral and dorsal sepals margins entire; lip one lobed, margin fringed, rarely nearly entire.
Spur	terete.
Rostellum	lobes oriented forward.
Viscidia	circular to subcircular.

 

Described hybrids

Hybrid	Second parent
P. x bicolor (Raf.) Luer	P.ciliaris
P. x canbyi (Ames) Luer	P.cristata
P. x vossii Case	P.clavellata

 

Habitat

Pine barrens, sphagnum bogs, open wet meadows.  Sandy to peaty soils.

Conservation and Wetland Status

Threatened and Endangered Status

State	Status
Connecticut	Endangered
Florida	Threatened
New York	Exploitably vulnerable
Ohio	Endangered

Wetland Indicator Status  

Obligate Wetland

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Varieties

• P.blephariglottis (Willd.) Lindl. 
• P.blephariglottis (Willd.) Lindl.var. conspicua (Nash) Luer

Synonyms

 Habenaria conspicua Nash, Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 23: 100. 1896

Pollinators

Sphingidae, Hesperiidae, Pieridae, Apidae

Author and publication information for name

Platanthera blephariglottis  (Willd.) Lindl., Gen. Sp. Orchid. Pl. 291. 1835.

Vernacular name

White Fringed Orchid

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Link to Interactive Platanthera key

http://utc.usu.edu/keys/Platanthera/Platanthera.html

References

C. J. Sheviak  (2003). Flora of North America, Magnoliophyta: Liliidae: Liliales and Orchidales. Vol. 26:496-571. Oxford University Press.

Smith, G. R. and G. E.Snow. 1976. Pollination of Plantanthera ciliaris and P.blephariglottis, Bot.Gaz. 137: 133-140.

U.S. Department of Agriculture. PLANTS Database. http://plants.usda.gov/index.html. Accessed primarily in July 2006.