Platanthera dilatata

Short description: Species of orchid

Platanthera dilatata

At Glacier National Park in Montana
Scientific classification
Kingdom:  | Plantae
Clade:  | Tracheophytes
Clade:  | Angiosperms
Clade:  | Monocots
Order:  | Asparagales
Family:  | Orchidaceae
Subfamily:  | Orchidoideae
Genus:  | Platanthera
Species:  |

P. dilatata

Binomial name
Platanthera dilatata

(Pursh) Lindl. ex L.C.Beck

Synonyms[1]

* Pursh (Pursh) Hook.
* (Pursh) Szlach. & Rutk. Limnorchis dilatata (
* Habenaria dilatata Pursh) Rydb.
* Orchis dilatata Piperia dilatata

Platanthera dilatata, known as tall white bog orchid, bog candle, or boreal bog orchid is a species of orchid, a flowering plant in the family Orchidaceae, native to North America.[2][3][4] It was first formally described in 1813 by Frederick Traugott Pursh as Orchis dilatata.[5]

It is sometimes called fragrant white bog orchid or scentbottle, for the smell of its flowers, described as intensely spicy or clove-like.[2][6][7]

In the Midwest and northeastern United States and Canada, it grows in cold, calcareous fens, cedar and tamarack swamps, meadows, and marshes, typically in sunny spots.[3][4]

## Description

Bog candle is an erect, perennial flower growing up to 11–130 cm (4.3–51.2 in) tall. The showy, white flowers are clustered on long spikes. The petals are ovate to linear-lance shaped with smooth edges, not divided or fringed like some other Platanthera species. The lateral sepals spread or reflex.[2][3]

The leaves are linear to lanceolate or oblanceolate, and reduce in size toward the top of the plant. The leave size ranges from 3–32 cm (1.2–12.6 in) long to 0.3–7 cm (0.12–2.76 in) across.[2]

* Scentbottles at Glacier National Park, Montana

* Inflorescence, British Columbia

Three varieties are accepted:[2]

* Platanthera dilatata var. albiflora – Colorado to Alaska
* Platanthera dilatata var. dilatata – Colorado to Alaska, Great Lakes and northeastern US and Canada, absent in most of the Great Plains
* Platanthera dilatata var. leucostachys — western US and Canada, from southern California to Alaska

## Uses

British Columbian Native Americans used the sweet-smelling flowers in washing themselves.[8]

## References

1. ↑ "Platanthera dilatata (Pursh) Lindl. ex L.C.Beck". Royal Botanical Gardens Kew. https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:651717-1.
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Sheviak, Charles J (2002), "Platanthera dilatata", in Flora of North America Editorial Committee, Flora of North America North of Mexico (FNA), 26, New York and Oxford, http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=242101834, retrieved 20 December 2019
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 "Online Virtual Flora of Wisconsin - Platanthera dilatata". http://wisflora.herbarium.wisc.edu/taxa/index.php?taxon=4526.
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Reznicek, A. A.; Voss, E. G.; Walters, B. S., eds (February 2011). "Platanthera dilatata". University of Michigan Herbarium. https://michiganflora.net/species.aspx?id=1828.
5. ↑ "Platanthera dilatata". International Plant Names Index. http://ipni.org/n/30167398-2.
6. ↑ "Platanthera dilatata (Pursh) Lindley ex L.C. Beck". 2010. https://data.canadensys.net/vascan/taxon/6910.
7. ↑ "Platanthera dilatata". Natural Resources Conservation Service PLANTS Database. USDA. https://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=PLDI3. Retrieved 20 December 2019.
8. ↑ Fagan, Damian (2019). Wildflowers of Oregon: A Field Guide to Over 400 Wildflowers, Trees, and Shrubs of the Coast, Cascades, and High Desert. Guilford, CT: FalconGuides. pp. 65. ISBN 978-1-4930-3633-2. OCLC 1073035766. https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/1073035766.

Wikidata ☰ Q6078083 entry

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