Platanthera lacera
Platanthera lacera is an orchid in the genus Platanthera, native throughout Eastern United States and Canada. It occurs in a variety of habitats ranging from “mesic and dry-mesic sand prairie, wet sedge meadow, calcareous fen, sphagnum bog, acid seep spring, dry field, mesic flatwoods, and mesic upland forests.”[1] Common names include ragged fringed orchid and green fringed orchid.
| Green fringed-orchid | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Platanthera lacera at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Order: | Asparagales |
| Family: | Orchidaceae |
| Subfamily: | Orchidoideae |
| Genus: | Platanthera |
| Species: | P. lacera |
| Binomial name | |
| Platanthera lacera (Michx.) G.Don | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Identification
It is a perennial growing 20 to 77 centimeters (8 to 30+1⁄3 in) tall. 2 to 7 lanceolate to narrow elliptic leaves should be present. The inflorescence is a terminal racemic structure, 4 to 25 centimeters (1+1⁄2 to 9+3⁄4 in) long with 15 to 60 whitish-green flowers.[1]
Pollination
The flowers are fragrant at night and are pollinated by crepuscular moths.
References
- Homoya, M.A. (1993). "Platanthera lacera". Orchids of Indiana. Indianapolis, IN; Indiana Academy of Science, p. 169.
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