Platanthera blephariglottis

(Willdenow) Lindley

Gen. Sp. Orchid. Pl., 291. 1835.

IllustratedEndemic
Basionym: Orchis blephariglottis Willdenow Sp. Pl. 4(1): 9. 1805
Synonyms: Habenaria blephariglottis (Willdenow) Hooker
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 26. Treatment on page 567. Mentioned on page 552, 564, 568, 569, 571.

Plants 8–110 cm. Leaves 2–several, spreading to ascending, scattered along stem, rather abruptly to gradually reduced distally; blade linear-lanceolate, ovate-lanceolate, elliptic-lanceolate, 5–35 × 1–5 cm. Spikes dense to rather lax. Flowers resupinate, showy, white; lateral sepals reflexed; petals linear to oblanceolate, apex fringed to nearly entire; lip reflexed to porrect, without basal thickening, ovate-oblong to oblong-elliptic, rarely quadrangular-suborbiculate, margin fringed; spur essentially cylindric, slender; rostellum lobes curving forward, slightly spreading, angular-elongate; pollinaria with stalks curved forward; pollinia remaining enclosed in anther sacs; viscidia elliptic-suborbiculate to orbiculate; ovary slender, 10–28 mm.

Discussion

Varieties 2 (2 in the flora).

Selected References

None.

Key

1 Spur less than 26 mm, to 1.25 times length of ovary. Platanthera blephariglottis var. blephariglottis
1 Spur at least 30 mm, commonly about 2 times length of ovary. Platanthera blephariglottis var. conspicua