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Platanthera aquilonis — north wind bog-orchid

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Facts

North wind bog-orchid is self-pollinating, the pollinia rotating forward and downward out of the pollen sacs and depositing on the stigma, or the pollen spilling in a stream from the pollen sacs onto the stigma. Experiments with cultivated plants showed that water droplets, collecting on the center of the flower, immersed the column and the pollinia. As the water evaporated, the pollen were drawn out of the pollinia and deposited on the stigma.

Habitat

Anthropogenic (man-made or disturbed habitats), fens, forests, meadows and fields, swamps, wetland margins (edges of wetlands)

New England distribution

Adapted from BONAP data

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North America distribution

Adapted from BONAP data

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Characteristics

Habitat
  • terrestrial
  • wetlands
New England state
  • Connecticut
  • Maine
  • Massachusetts
  • New Hampshire
  • Rhode Island
  • Vermont
Leaf arrangement
alternate: there is one leaf per node along the stem
Number of leaves on stem
  • five
  • four
  • six or more
  • three
  • two
Form of lower petal
the labellum does not have a pouch-like shape
Lower petal outline
the labellum is simple in form
Main color of lower petal
  • green to brown
  • white
  • yellow
Nectar spur
the flower has at least one nectar spur on it
Inflorescence type
the inflorescence is a spike (a long unbranched stem with flowers along it that lack stalks)
Lower petal characteristics
  • the labellum has spurs on it
  • the labellum is simple in form
Lower petal length
2.5–6 mm
Show all characteristics

  • Flowers

    Flower bract length
    15–40 mm
    Flower petal color
    • green
    • white
    • yellow
    Flower symmetry
    there is only one way to evenly divide the flower (the flower is bilaterally symmetrical)
    Flowering date
    • August
    • July
    • June
    • May
    Form of lower petal
    the labellum does not have a pouch-like shape
    Hairs on inflorescence axis
    the main stem of the inflorescence is hairless
    Inflorescence length
    60–200 mm
    Inflorescence type
    the inflorescence is a spike (a long unbranched stem with flowers along it that lack stalks)
    Labellum position
    the labellum is in the lower position on the flower
    Length of flower stalk
    0 mm
    Length of narrowed base of lower petal
    0 mm
    Lobes at base of lower petal
    0 mm
    Lower petal characteristics
    • the labellum has spurs on it
    • the labellum is simple in form
    Lower petal length
    2.5–6 mm
    Lower petal outline
    the labellum is simple in form
    Lower petal strongly red-veined
    no
    Main color of lower petal
    • green to brown
    • white
    • yellow
    Nectar spur
    the flower has at least one nectar spur on it
    Nectar spur length
    2–5 mm
    Number of stamens
    1
    Orientation of side petals
    the lateral petals are vertically oriented or nearly so
    Pollen sacs
    the pollinia eventually fragment into smaller parts
    Self-pollinating flowers
    there are no cleistogamous flowers on this plant
    Sepals fused only to sepals
    the sepals are separate from one another
    Shape of viscidium
    the viscidium is roughly circular
    Spots on lower petal
    no
    Spur opening membrane
    there is no membrane over the spur opening

  • Fruits or seeds

    Fruit length
    8–16 mm
    Fruit width
    3–6 mm
    Seed capsule orientation
    the capsule points upwards or is angled outwards

  • Growth form

    Plant green or not
    the plant is chlorophyllous (it has green parts)
    Roots
    the rhizomes do not resemble coral
    Underground organs
    • the plant has one or more swollen storage organs underground, such as bulbs, tubers or corms
    • there are only slender roots on the plant

  • Leaves

    Bract relative length
    the bract is shorter than the associated flower
    Features of leaves
    the leaf does not have any of the mentioned special features
    Leaf arrangement
    alternate: there is one leaf per node along the stem
    Leaf blade edges
    the edges of the leaf blade have no teeth
    Leaf blade length
    27–230 mm
    Leaf blade length to width ratio
    5.8–6.8
    Leaf blade shape
    • the leaf blade is lanceolate (lance-shaped; widest below the middle and tapering at both ends)
    • the leaf blade is linear (very narrow with more or less parallel sides)
    • the leaf blade is oblong (rectangular but with rounded ends)
    Leaf blade tip
    the tip of the leaf blade is acute (sharply pointed)
    Leaf blade width
    4–40 mm
    Leaves during flowering
    there are leaves on the plant when it is flowering
    Number of bracts on stem
    1–3
    Number of leaves on stem
    • five
    • four
    • six or more
    • three
    • two

  • Place

    Habitat
    • terrestrial
    • wetlands
    New England state
    • Connecticut
    • Maine
    • Massachusetts
    • New Hampshire
    • Rhode Island
    • Vermont
    Specific habitat
    • edges of wetlands
    • fens
    • forests
    • man-made or disturbed habitats
    • meadows or fields
    • swamps

Wetland status

Usually occurs in wetlands, but occasionally in non-wetlands. (Wetland indicator code: FACW)

In New England

Distribution

Connecticut
present
Maine
present
Massachusetts
present
New Hampshire
present
Rhode Island
present
Vermont
present

Conservation status

Exact status definitions can vary from state to state. For details, please check with your state.

Massachusetts
uncommon to fairly widespread (S-rank: S3S4)
Rhode Island
extremely rare (S-rank: S1), concern (uncertain) (code: C*)
Vermont
uncommon (S-rank: S3)

From Flora Novae Angliae dichotomous key

1.  Platanthera aquilonis Sheviak N

north wind bog-orchid. CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT. Stream banks, fens, deciduous and mixed evergreen-deciduous forests, ditches, wet borrow pits, meadows. Most of our material that was called Platanthera hyperborea is referable to this species.

Native to North America?

Yes

Sometimes confused with

Coeloglossum viride:
labellum three-lobed, with the middle lobe the shortest, and floral bracts conspicuously surpassing the flowers (vs. P. aquilonis, with the labellum unlobed and floral bracts not or only shortly surpassing the flowers).
Platanthera huronensis:
labellum white-green, 5–12 mm long, anthers nearly parallel or slightly diverging basally, separated apically 0.6–1.5 mm, and spur 4–12 mm long, cylindric to slender-clavate (vs. P. aquilonis, with the labellum green to yellow-green, 2.5–6 mm long, anthers widely diverging basally, touching near apex or separated by a distance of no more than 0.3 mm, and spur 2–5 mm long, clavate or, less commonly, cylindric).

Family

Orchidaceae

Genus

Platanthera