Twenty-ninth Orchid of the Season and Others

Chamisso's Orchid, Platanthera chorisiana, is one of our smallest native orchids and very hard to find.  In our area these grow in a boggy area among the sedges and at the edge of the bushes and shrubs.  Both plant and flowers are the same green as the grasses and sedges, too.  When I went to visit them they were finished blooming and so I've also included an older photo of the species.  They were 15 cm tall or less and the tiny flowers are less than 1 cm and do not open widely.  It grows at high elevations or northern latitudes.

Platanthera chorisiana

Growing in the same area were the Sierra Rein Orchis, Platanthera dilatata var. lecostachys, the Slender Bog Orchis, Platanthera stricta, and the Hooded Ladies'-tresses, Spiranthes romanzoffiana.  All of these were nearing the end of their blooming season as well, especially Platanthera stricta.  All of these plants like wet areas and sedge mat where they were found is always wet, but even there they were earlier than normal, due to an early spring, little snowfall in the mountains, and a hot dry summer.

Platanthera dilatata var. leucostachys

Platanthera stricta

Platanthera dilatata var. leucostachys and Platanthera stricta

Spiranthes romanzoffiana

Platanthera dilatata var. leucostachys

Platanthera dilatata var. leucostachys, the Sierra Rein Orchis, is distinguished from the other two varieties of this species by its very long spur, noticeably longer than its lip.  It is much rarer in our area than var. dilatata, which has a spur equal in length to the lip and also blooms somewhat later than that species.  We've found it still in bloom when var. dilatata is finished in locations where both grow.  Otherwise it is indistinguishable from either of the other varieties.  Plant height varies from 30 to 90 cm and the flowers are 2 cm or slightly less and very fragrant.

July 24

(Olympic Mountains)

July 31

(North Cascades)

August 2

(North Cascades)