White bog-orchid, white rein-orchid, fragarant white bog orchid, scentbottle • Platanthera dilatata
{'Rein' comes from habenas = strap or rein, a reference to the flower structure; a older name for the genus is Habenaria}
White bog-orchid growing in a boggy area of Calvert Island. Photos by Kelly Fretwell and Nancy Shackelford (right).
Identification
White rein-orchid is a tall and slender perennial with a sturdy, upright stem. It grows to a height of 70 cm, and has oblong or lance-shaped leaves that sheath the stem. The leaves are largest at the base, then decrease in size. The flowers are small, white or greenish-white, and have a waxy texture. They are fairly fragrant, and so the species is also commonly known as 'scent-candle.' The flowers line the top portion of the stem, and can be densely or loosely packed together. There are three white bog-orchid varieties which vary in flower structure. The varieties are albiflora, leucostachys, and dilatata, and details on distinguishing between them can be found on the E-Flora species page.
Habitat & Range
White bog-orchid is a common species in BC. It grows in moist to wet habitats at middle to high elevations. It can be found growing in meadows, boggy coniferous forests, along streambanks and lakeshores, and around swamps, marshes, and bogs. There are two major populations for this species - one is in northeastern North America, and stretches east from Manitoba to Newfoundland, and south to Illinois and Massachusetts. The western populations stretches along the coast from Alaska to California, and east to Alberta and Colorado.
Similar Species
White bog-orchid could be confused with slender bog-orchid (Platanthera stricta), a similar species with with greenish flowers. Usually the flowers of white bog orchid are much whiter than those of the slender bog-orchid flowers. The flower structures are slightly different as well - the spur (structure that hangs down at the base of the flower, more obvious from the lateral view) of slender bog-orchid is more rounded, and the white bog-orchid spur is thinner and cylindrical.
Intriguing Info
Some sources say the roots of this species are edible, but others claim the plant is poisonous.
iNaturalist
https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/78623-Platanthera-dilatata
White rein-orchid is a tall and slender perennial with a sturdy, upright stem. It grows to a height of 70 cm, and has oblong or lance-shaped leaves that sheath the stem. The leaves are largest at the base, then decrease in size. The flowers are small, white or greenish-white, and have a waxy texture. They are fairly fragrant, and so the species is also commonly known as 'scent-candle.' The flowers line the top portion of the stem, and can be densely or loosely packed together. There are three white bog-orchid varieties which vary in flower structure. The varieties are albiflora, leucostachys, and dilatata, and details on distinguishing between them can be found on the E-Flora species page.
Habitat & Range
White bog-orchid is a common species in BC. It grows in moist to wet habitats at middle to high elevations. It can be found growing in meadows, boggy coniferous forests, along streambanks and lakeshores, and around swamps, marshes, and bogs. There are two major populations for this species - one is in northeastern North America, and stretches east from Manitoba to Newfoundland, and south to Illinois and Massachusetts. The western populations stretches along the coast from Alaska to California, and east to Alberta and Colorado.
Similar Species
White bog-orchid could be confused with slender bog-orchid (Platanthera stricta), a similar species with with greenish flowers. Usually the flowers of white bog orchid are much whiter than those of the slender bog-orchid flowers. The flower structures are slightly different as well - the spur (structure that hangs down at the base of the flower, more obvious from the lateral view) of slender bog-orchid is more rounded, and the white bog-orchid spur is thinner and cylindrical.
Intriguing Info
Some sources say the roots of this species are edible, but others claim the plant is poisonous.
iNaturalist
https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/78623-Platanthera-dilatata
References
Fertig, W. (2011). Plant of the Week: White Bog Orchid (Platanthera dilatata). Celebrating Wildflowers. US Forest Service, USDA. Accessed 26/08/2013.
Platanthera dilatata (Pursh) Lindl. ex Beck. 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: LonePine Publishing. P. 122.
Authors and editors of page
Kelly Fretwell and Brian Starzomski (2013).
Fertig, W. (2011). Plant of the Week: White Bog Orchid (Platanthera dilatata). Celebrating Wildflowers. US Forest Service, USDA. Accessed 26/08/2013.
Platanthera dilatata (Pursh) Lindl. ex Beck. 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: LonePine Publishing. P. 122.
Authors and editors of page
Kelly Fretwell and Brian Starzomski (2013).