Platanthera lacera
| Green fringed-orchid | |
|---|---|
 Platanthera lacera at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Monocots |
| Order: | Asparagales |
| Family: | Orchidaceae |
| Tribe: | Orchideae |
| Genus: | Platanthera |
| Species: | P. lacera |
| Binomial name | |
| Platanthera lacera (Michx.) G.Don | |
| Synonyms | |
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Platanthera lacera is an orchid in the genus Platanthera, native throughout Eastern United States and Canada. It occurs in a variety of habitats ranging from “mesic and dry-mesic sand prairie, wet sedge meadow, calcareous fen, sphagnum bog, acid seep spring, dry field, mesic flatwoods, and mesic upland forests.”[1] Common names include ragged fringed orchid and green fringed orchid.
Identification
It is a perennial growing 20-77 cm. tall. 2 to 7 lanceolate to narrow elliptic leaves should be present. The inflorescence is a terminal racemic structure, 4-25 cm. long with 15-60 whitish-green flowers.[1]
Pollination
The flowers are fragrant at night pollinated by the crepuscular moths.