DESCRIPTION: Plant glabrous, arising from a cluster of fleshy, thickened roots, 20-70 cm tall. Leaves 2-5, lanceolate to elliptical, gradually reduced to linear-lanceolate bracts higher up on the stem, 5-19 cm long and 2-5 cm wide, keeled. Inflorescence a loose or dense raceme, 10-60 flowered; flowers green, greenish-white, or yellowish-white, +/- fragrant, each flower subtended by a lance-linear, acuminate bract. Sepals ovate-elliptic to ovate, 4-6 mm long and 3-5 mm wide, colored as flowers; dorsal sepal loosely connivent with petals, lateral sepals concave, reflexed. Petals linear-oblong to linear, 3-7 mm long and 1-2 mm wide, the margin finely lacerate or toothed, loosely appressed to the dorsal sepal and colored as the sepals. Labellum tripartite and fringed (the divisions of the lateral segments typically reaching more than halfway to the base of the labellum), shallowly clawed, each segment of labellum fan-shaped; 7-15 mm long and 7-15 mm wide, colored as flowers but the claw typically whitish; base of labellum with a +/- clubbed nectar spur projecting behind, 0.8-2.3 cm long.
Lucas Land
Ragged Fringed Orchid
Habenaria lacera; accepted name is Platanthera lacera
From the Wisconsin Herbarium
HABITAT: Platanthera lacera is found in a variety of open, acidic-soiled habitats. Typical habitats include open Sphagnum bogs, and wet (or rarely dry) acidic meadows or roadside ditches.
FLOWERING DATES: July 1-August 1.
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