Slender bog orchid • Platanthera stricta, P. saccata
{Stricta = slender}
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Photos by Kelly Fretwell (bottom left), Georgia Brander (top left), Ian Cruickshank (middle), and Sarein Basi-Primeau (right).
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Identification
Slender bog orchid is a tall, unbranched perennial with small, delicate-looking flowers. It has a sturdy, upright stem that grows to 1 m tall. Its leaves occur along most of the stem, and sheath the stem where they attach. They descend in size up the stem, with the biggest leaves near the base. These lower leaves are larger (to 15 cm long) and wider, with blunt or rounded ends. As the leaves decrease in size they narrow and become more pointed and lance-shaped. Small greenish flowers dot the upper portion of the stem to form a slim terminal cluster. The flowers are waxy, unscented or lightly scented, and have leaf-like bracts (clearly visible in this photo). A detailed description of the flower shape is available on the E-Flora species page.
Habitat & Range
Slender bog-orchid is a common species along the coast of BC. It grows in moist to wet habitats at low to middle elevations. It can be found growing in meadows, coniferous forests, along streambanks and lakeshores, and around swamps and bogs.
Similar Species
Alaska-rein orchid is similar, but is not commonly found on the Central Coast. It has differently-shaped flowers which are missing the leaf-life bract of the slender bog orchid (described above). The northern green bog orchid is another similar species, but its range is more restricted and it has a slightly different flower structure. It only grows in open, wet habitats, and is more common east of the Coast-Cascade Mountains. It is also lacks the leaf-life bract around its flowers.
Slender bog orchid is a tall, unbranched perennial with small, delicate-looking flowers. It has a sturdy, upright stem that grows to 1 m tall. Its leaves occur along most of the stem, and sheath the stem where they attach. They descend in size up the stem, with the biggest leaves near the base. These lower leaves are larger (to 15 cm long) and wider, with blunt or rounded ends. As the leaves decrease in size they narrow and become more pointed and lance-shaped. Small greenish flowers dot the upper portion of the stem to form a slim terminal cluster. The flowers are waxy, unscented or lightly scented, and have leaf-like bracts (clearly visible in this photo). A detailed description of the flower shape is available on the E-Flora species page.
Habitat & Range
Slender bog-orchid is a common species along the coast of BC. It grows in moist to wet habitats at low to middle elevations. It can be found growing in meadows, coniferous forests, along streambanks and lakeshores, and around swamps and bogs.
Similar Species
Alaska-rein orchid is similar, but is not commonly found on the Central Coast. It has differently-shaped flowers which are missing the leaf-life bract of the slender bog orchid (described above). The northern green bog orchid is another similar species, but its range is more restricted and it has a slightly different flower structure. It only grows in open, wet habitats, and is more common east of the Coast-Cascade Mountains. It is also lacks the leaf-life bract around its flowers.
References
Douglas, G.W., Meidinger, D., and Pojar, J (Eds.). (2001). Illustrated flora of British Columbia. (Vol. 7). Victoria, BC: Ministry of Sustainable Resource Management and Ministry of Forests, Province of British Columbia. Pp. 32-41.
Platanthera stricta Lindl. In Klinkenberg, Brian. (Ed.). E-Flora BC: Electronic Atlas of the Plants of British Columbia. Lab for Advanced Spatial Analysis, Department of Geography, University of British Columbia, Vancouver. Accessed 23/08/2013.
Pojar, J. and MacKinnon, A. (1994). Plants of Coastal British Columbia. Vancouver, BC: Lone Pine Publishing. P.122.
Authors and editors of page
Kelly Fretwell and Brian Starzomski (2013).
Douglas, G.W., Meidinger, D., and Pojar, J (Eds.). (2001). Illustrated flora of British Columbia. (Vol. 7). Victoria, BC: Ministry of Sustainable Resource Management and Ministry of Forests, Province of British Columbia. Pp. 32-41.
Platanthera stricta Lindl. In Klinkenberg, Brian. (Ed.). E-Flora BC: Electronic Atlas of the Plants of British Columbia. Lab for Advanced Spatial Analysis, Department of Geography, University of British Columbia, Vancouver. Accessed 23/08/2013.
Pojar, J. and MacKinnon, A. (1994). Plants of Coastal British Columbia. Vancouver, BC: Lone Pine Publishing. P.122.
Authors and editors of page
Kelly Fretwell and Brian Starzomski (2013).
