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• Platanthera hookeri

Platanthera hookeri — Hooker's bog-orchid

Facts

Hooker's bog-orchid is found in dry to moist forests and forest edges in all New England states, although it is rare throughout. A 25-year study of this species in Quebec, Canada, showed that it was in slow decline, with little or no recruitment of new individuals.

Habitat

Forest edges, forests

Characteristics

• Flowers

  Flower petal color

  • green
  • yellow

  Flower symmetry

  there is only one way to evenly divide the flower (the flower is bilaterally symmetrical)

  Flowering date

  • July
  • June
  • May

  Flowers per inflorescence

  2–25

  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

  10–20 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

  Length of peduncle

  200–400 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

  8–23 mm

  Lower petal outline

  the labellum is simple in form

  Lower petal strongly red-veined

  no

  Main color of lower petal

  • green to brown
  • yellow

  Nectar spur

  the flower has at least one nectar spur on it

  Nectar spur length

  11–27 mm

  Number of stamens

  1

  Orientation of side petals

  the lateral petals are angled steeply upwards

  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

  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

  basal: the leaves are growing only at the base of the plant

  Leaf blade edges

  the edges of the leaf blade have no teeth

  Leaf blade length

  50–170 mm

  Leaf blade shape

  • the leaf blade is elliptic (widest near the middle and tapering at both ends)
  • the leaf blade is obovate (egg-shaped, but with the widest point above the middle of the leaf blade)
  • the leaf blade is orbicular (roughly circular, as wide as long)

  Leaf blade tip

  • the tip of the leaf blade is obtuse (bluntly pointed)
  • the tip of the leaf blade is retuse (blunt or rounded, with a notch at the tip)

  Leaf blade width

  40–130 mm

  Leaves during flowering

  there are leaves on the plant when it is flowering

  Number of bracts on stem

  0–1

  Number of leaves on stem

  absent

• Place

  Habitat

  terrestrial

  New England state

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

  Specific habitat

  • edges of forests
  • forests

Wetland status

Occurs in wetlands or non-wetlands. (Wetland indicator code: FAC)

New England distribution and conservation status

From the dichotomous key of Flora Novae Angliae