Nearctica - Eastern Wildflowers - Orchidaceae

Snowy Orchis

(Platanthera nivea)

Color Photograph: NRCS Plants Database, U.S. Department of Agriculture

Line Drawing: Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913. An Illustrated Flora of the Northern United States and Canada, Second Edition.

Snowy Orchis (Platanthera nivea [Nutt.] Luer)

Identification: Flowers white with a long rear spur. Lower petal short and broad, unfringed, and no longer than the lateral petals. Lateral petals unfringed. Upper petal elongate, straplike, pointing upward and commonly bent backward. Flowers arranged in a tight, terminal raceme. Middle of stem with small, very narrow, leaves. Bottom of stem with leaves larger, but also very narrow. Plant 12 to 30 inches in height.

Distribution: A rare species found in southern New Jersey and Delaware in the north and throughout the southeastern United States.

Habitat: Snowy Orchis is found in acid bogs.

Flowering period: August to September.

Similar Species: The combination of the pure white color, short lower petal, straplike upper petal should easily identify this species.