Page authors: Don Knoke, David Giblin
Platanthera dilatata
bog-candle, boreal bog-orchid, white orchid, white rein-orchid, scent-bottle
Specimens
Photos

Distribution: Widely distributed on both sides of the Cascades crest through the mountainous and forested areas of Washington; Alaska to California, east to the Rocky Mountains; also from the Great Lakes region east to the Atlantic Coast.

Habitat: Wet meadows, forest openings, and streambanks from low elevations to the subalpine.

Flowers: June-September

Origin: Native

Growth Duration: Perennial

Conservation Status: Not of concern

Pollination: Self-pollination, flies

Description:
General:

Herbaceous perennial with single, densely flowered inflorescences up to 3 ft. tall.

Leaves:

Simple, alternate, glabrous, lanceolate, tapering in width from base to tip.

Flowers:

Sepals and petals white, sepals widely spreading, two of the petals upright and arching, forming hood-like appearance; lip widest at base and often hanging downward, spurred at base.

Fruits:

Capsules, brown at maturity and containing large numbers of tiny seeds.

Identification Notes:

Flowers with a sweet, spicy fragrance; plants often growing together in fairly large numbers.

Accepted Name:
Platanthera dilatata (Pursh) Lindl. ex L.C. Beck
Publication: Bot. North. Middle States. 347. 1833.

Synonyms & Misapplications:
Habenaria dilatata (Pursh) Hook. [HC]
Infraspecies:
Additional Resources:

PNW Herbaria: Specimen records of Platanthera dilatata in the Consortium of Pacific Northwest Herbaria database

WA Flora Checklist: Platanthera dilatata checklist entry

OregonFlora: Platanthera dilatata information

E-Flora BC: Platanthera dilatata atlas page

CalPhotos: Platanthera dilatata photos

101 photographs:
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