Canadian Native Orchids - Platanthera clavellata

Platanthera clavellata
(Michaux) Luer var. clavellata
[Habenaria clavellata] (Michaux) Sprengel
[Habenariatridentata] (Muhlenberg) Hooker
Club Spur Orchid
Green Woodland Orchis

Location Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario. Relatively common in the northeastern and Atlantic states, as far south as Georgia.

Specific Habitat
Forms large colonies in acid conditions, commonly in Black Spruce-Tamarack bogs in Bruce Peninsula area, where it is rare because of the predominately limy, basic soils of this area. In the Ottawa District, moist, sandy, old fields and openings; or the borders of peatlands, swamps, and lakes. It is rare and local east of the Canadian Shield Region.

Flowering Season July to August.

Description
Height to 60 cm., stem erect, leafy, tall, with conspicuous vertical veining.
Leaves: 2-3, elliptic to lanceolate, green, keeled, becoming bracts above.
Raceme loosely to densely flowered, 20-30 flowers; all parts yellowish-green to pale greenish white, the older flowers in each cluster are twisted so that they appear to be lying on their side. Sepals and petals similar, dorsal sepal and petals form a hood over the lip; lip nearly rectangular, tip shallowly 3-lobed. Spur thickest near its tip. Sometimes mildly and sweetly fragrant.

Comments
A fairly common wildflower of bogs and other wet situations. Also an orchid that tends to colonize disturbed areas such as roadside ditches and sandscrapes.
Unique because of the "askewness" of its flowers. Also capable of self-pollination.

References
Orchids of Ontario
Orchids of the Norteast
The Canadian Field-Naturalist Vol III Ð 1
The Native Orchids of the United States and Canada excluding Florida
The Orchids of Bruce & Grey

Habitat Plant Flower

Location	Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario. Relatively common in the northeastern and Atlantic states, as far south as Georgia.
Specific Habitat	Forms large colonies in acid conditions, commonly in Black Spruce-Tamarack bogs in Bruce Peninsula area, where it is rare because of the predominately limy, basic soils of this area. In the Ottawa District, moist, sandy, old fields and openings; or the borders of peatlands, swamps, and lakes. It is rare and local east of the Canadian Shield Region.
Flowering Season	July to August.
Description	Height to 60 cm., stem erect, leafy, tall, with conspicuous vertical veining. Leaves: 2-3, elliptic to lanceolate, green, keeled, becoming bracts above. Raceme loosely to densely flowered, 20-30 flowers; all parts yellowish-green to pale greenish white, the older flowers in each cluster are twisted so that they appear to be lying on their side. Sepals and petals similar, dorsal sepal and petals form a hood over the lip; lip nearly rectangular, tip shallowly 3-lobed. Spur thickest near its tip. Sometimes mildly and sweetly fragrant.
Comments	A fairly common wildflower of bogs and other wet situations. Also an orchid that tends to colonize disturbed areas such as roadside ditches and sandscrapes. Unique because of the "askewness" of its flowers. Also capable of self-pollination.
References	Orchids of Ontario Orchids of the Norteast The Canadian Field-Naturalist Vol III Ð 1 The Native Orchids of the United States and Canada excluding Florida The Orchids of Bruce & Grey