Platanthera elegans Lindl. 1835
Close up of What was known as Piperia maritima
Photos by © Carl Luer
What was known as Piperia maritima in situ
Photo by © Ron Parsons.
Common Name The Elegant Platanthera
Flower Size .5" [1.25 cm]
Found in California at elevations of 500 to 700 meters as a miniature sized, cold growing terrestrial orchid with usually paired, oblong to ovoid, potato shaped tubers giving rise to usually 2, basal, ovate to oblong leaves that wither as soon as the inflorescence is formed that blooms in the summer on a terminal, erect, to 30" [75 cm] long, rather slender, almost naked, loosely many flowered, racemose inflorescence carrying fragrant flowers
Synonyms Habenaria elegans (Lindl.) Bol. 1870; Habenaria elegans var. maritima (Greene) Ames 1910; Habenaria elegans var. multiflora (Rydb.) M.Peck 1941; Habenaria greenei Jeps. 1946; Habenaria maritima Greene 1892; Habenaria multiflora (Rydb.) Blank. 1905; Habenaria unalascensis subsp. maritima Calder & Roy L.Taylor 1965; Habenaria unalascensis var. maritima (Greene) Correll 1943; Piperia elegans (Lindl.) Rydb. 1901; Piperia maritima Rydb. 1901; Piperia multiflora Rydb. 1901; Platanthera elegans subsp. maritima (Rydb.) R.M.Bateman 2003; Platanthera unalascensis subsp. maritima (Greene) De Filipps 1975
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Studies in the Family Orchidaceae Vol 4 Ames 1910 as Habenaria elegans drawing fide; Encyclopedia of Cultivated Orchids Hawkes 1965 as Platanthera elegans; AOS Bulletin Vol 44 #5 1975 as Platanthera unalescensis subs maritima; The Native Orchids of the United States and Canada Luer 1975 as Piperia elegans var elegans drawing/photos fide; The Native Orchids of the United States and Canada Luer 1975 as Piperia maritima drawing/photo Rudolf Schlechter Die Orchideen Band 1C lieferung 40 pg 2492 - 2564 Brieger 2000 as Piperia elegans drawing good; The Wild Orchids of North America North of Mexcio PM Brown 2003 as Piperia elegans; AOS Bulletin Vol 80 #4 2011 photo fide; AOS Bulletin Vol 86 # 3 2017 as Piperia elegans photo fide;
Platanthera elegans subsp. decurtata (Rand.Morgan & Glic.) R.M.Bateman 2003 Cal Photos Website
Found in Marin county on seaside windswept hills in short chaparral at elevations around 165 meters as a miniature sized, cold growing terrestrial
Synonyms Piperia elegans subsp. decurtata Rand.Morgan & Glic.1993
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; AOS Bulletin Vol 86 # 3 2017 photo fide
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