keys to the vascular plants of east texas - Botanical Research ...

776 ORCHIDACEAE/PLATYTHELYS
Platanthera lacera (Michx.) G. Don, (torn, in reference to the deeply fringed lip), GREEN FRINGED
ORCHID, RAGGED FRINGED ORCHID, RAGGED ORCHID. Plant 25–80 cm tall; leaves 1–5, elliptic to
lanceolate, 7–25 cm long, 1.5–5 cm wide; spikes densely to loosely-flowered, with 20–40 flowers;
flowers pale yellow-green to greenish white; sepals oblong to ovate, 4–6(–8) mm long; petals linear-oblong,
5–8 mm long; lip deeply divided at least halfway to base into 3 parts (these parts
may be variously divided into thread-like segments), 10–17 mm long; spur slender or slightly
club-shaped, to 23 mm long, as long as or longer than the ovary. Along wooded streams,
marshes, wet meadows, moist to wet, sandy, acidic soils; in TX known only from Bowie Co. (BRIT)
in the extreme ne corner of the state. Until relocated by J. Singhurst and M. White in 2000 (J.
Liggio, pers. comm.), this species was known in TX only from a collection by D. and H. Correll in
1946 (Liggio & Liggio 1999); e Canada and throughout e U.S. w to MN, OK, and TX. May–Jul.
[Blephariglottis lacera (Michx.) Farw., Habenaria lacera (Michx.) R. Br.] Pollination by moths has
been reported (Luer 1975); more specifically, the flowers produce a sweet fragrance which attracts
day-flying sphinx moths (Catling & Catling 1991b; Yatskievych 1999). (TOES 1993: IV) � m/295
Platanthera nivea (Nutt.) Luer, (snowy, white as snow), SNOWY ORCHID, SOUTHERN SMALL WHITE
ORCHIS, BOG-TORCH, SHOWY ORCHIS, SNOWY HABENARIA, FROG-ARROW, WHITE FROG-ARROW,
FROG-SPEAR, SAVANNAH ORCHID, WHITE REIN ORCHID. Plant 20–60(–90) cm tall; leaves (1–)2–3,
linear-lanceolate, 5–27(–31) cm long; spikes densely-flowered, with 20–50 flowers; flowers intensely
white; sepals oblong to ovate, 2–6 mm long, the lateral ones falcate; petals oblong to elliptic,
somewhat falcate; lip uppermost (flowers not resupinate, in contrast to all other East TX
Platanthera species), linear-oblong to linear-elliptic, 3–8 mm long, bent backward at the center;
spur slender, 10–16(–18) mm long. Bogs, wet meadows, savannahs, moist pinelands; Hardin,
Jasper (BRIT), Jefferson, Newton, Sabine, and Tyler (Liggio & Liggio 1999) cos. in the
Pineywoods; also Gulf Prairies and Marshes; e U.S. from NJ s to FL w to AR and TX. May–Jul.
[Gymnadeniopsis nivea (Nutt.) Rydb., Habenaria nivea (Nutt.) Spreng.] While once common in
the pine savannahs of the Big Thicket, habitat destruction has made this species rare in TX
(Liggio & Liggio 1999). Luer (1975) noted that the intensely white flowers with a touch of yellow
in the center (the column) make the inflorescence look like popcorn. This species can be
abundant after fire (G. Watson, pers. comm.). Sheviak (2002b) noted that several characters, including
the unusual column (with 2 pairs of appendages) and non-resupinate flowers, “suggest
that this species should not be included in Platanthera.” (TOES 1993: IV) � m/295
PLATYTHELYS Garay JUG ORCHID
AA genus of 9 species of warm areas of the Americas (Ackerman 2002a); previously included
in the genus Erythrodes. Garay (1977) distinguished Platythelys based on its distinctive rostellum
(= an extension from the upper edge of the stigma). (Greek: platy, broad, and thely, female,
in reference to the broad flat rostellum)
REFERENCES: Luer 1972; Garay 1977; Ackerman 2002a.
Platythelys querceticola (Lindl.) Garay, (inhabitant of oak woods), LOW ERYTHRODES, JUG ORCHID,
LOW GROUND ORCHID. Plant to ca. 40 cm tall, glabrous; stems leafy, ascending to erect from a
prostrate, stoloniferous base with fibrous roots at the nodes; leaves 3–8, ovate to lanceolate or elliptic-lanceolate,
2–6.5(–8) cm long, 1–2(–3) cm wide, reticulate-veined, short-petiolate; petioles
with bases expanded and clasping the stem; inflorescence a terminal spicate raceme of 4–25+
small flowers (superficially reminiscent of a Spiranthes inflorescence); floral bracts ovate,
acuminate, to ca. 6 mm long; flowers subsessile, whitish or greenish, sometimes faintly marked
with pink, resupinate; flower parts not widely spreading; sepals elliptic, 3.5–4.5 mm long and
1.5–2.5 mm wide; lateral petals lanceolate, 3–4.5 mm long and 1–1.3 mm wide, connivent (= adjacent
but not fused to) with the uppermost sepal; lip 3–4 mm long (not including spur), elongated
basally into a saccate spur 2.5–3.5 mm long, apically 3-lobed, the lateral lobes rounded, the