Platanthera ciliaris (L.) Lindl.

Orange Fringed Bog Orchid

Habit: Platanthera ciliaris. ~ By Gary Van Velsir. ~ Copyright © 2024. ~

Plant form: Platanthera ciliaris. ~ By Gary Van Velsir. ~ Copyright © 2024. ~

Inflorescences: Platanthera ciliaris. ~ By Gary Van Velsir. ~ Copyright © 2024. ~

Flowers: Platanthera ciliaris. ~ By Gary Van Velsir. ~ Copyright © 2024. ~

Stem: Platanthera ciliaris. ~ By David McAdoo. ~ Copyright © 2024. ~

Fruits: Platanthera ciliaris. ~ By Tom Nelson. ~ Copyright © 2024 Tom Nelson & Eric Lamont. ~ ~ Orchids of New England & New York

Facts About

Accepted Synonyms: Blephariglottis ciliaris

Platanthera ciliaris, commonly called Orange Fringed Bog Orchid, is widely distributed throughout eastern and central Canada and the United States, from Florida to Ontario, and around the Gulf Coast to Texas. It is a large, showy plant bearing up to 115 bright orange or dark yellow flowers with a heavily fringed labellum. A long, cylindrical spur extends out behind the flower. It produces 2-4 large, spreading leaves lower down on its stem, gradually reducing to bracts in the upper portion of the stem. It can be found in moist meadows, marshes, bogs, and woodlands, as well as along roadsides. This orchid is known to form a natural hybrid with P. blephariglottis, named P. × bicolor, and with P. cristata, named P. × channellii.

Platanthera ciliaris is considered globally secure, but is rare throughout much of the western edge of its range.

Pollination

This orchid is pollinated by butterflies including Danaus plexippus, Papilio glaucus, Papilio polyxenes, Papilio troilus, Satyrium liparops and moths such as Hyles lineata, as they search for nectar. When the insect sticks its long proboscis into the flower to collect nectar, the pollinia attaches to the compound eyes and is carried to the next flower as it searches for nectar.

Ecosystem Type

Bogs, disturbed habitats, marshes, meadows, prairie, savanna

Characteristics

Habitat:: terrestrial

Leaf arrangement:: alternate

Number of leaves on stem:

two
three
four

Form of the labellum:: the labellum is not pouch-like

Labellum outline:: the labellum is fringed

Main color of labellum:

orange
yellow

Nectar spur:: present

Inflorescence type:: the inflorescence is a raceme

Labellum characteristics:

the labellum has a spur
the labellum is fringed

Labellum length:: 8–19 mm

Sepal length:: 5–8 mm

Plant height:: 24–100 cm

Show All Characteristics

Flowers
Floral bract length:

Up to 20 mm
Flower petal color:
orange

yellow
Flower symmetry:

the flower is zygomorphic
Flowering date:
July

August

September
Flowers per inflorescence:

30–60

Form of the labellum:

the labellum is not pouch-like

Hairs on flower stalk:

the pedicel is hairless

Hairs on inflorescence axis:

the inflorescence stem is hairless

Inflorescence length:

50–150 mm

Inflorescence type:

the inflorescence is a raceme

Inflorescence width:

40–80 mm
Labellum characteristics:
the labellum has a spur

the labellum is fringed
Labellum length:

8–19 mm

Labellum outline:

the labellum is fringed

Labellum position:

the flowers are resupinate

Length of flower stalk:

12–27 mm

Lower petal strongly red-veined:

no
Main color of labellum:
orange

yellow
Nectar spur:

present

Nectar spur length:

20–35 mm

Number of stamens:

1

Orientation of side petals:

the lateral petals are ascending

Pollen sacs:

the pollinia remain intact and do not fragment into smaller parts

Self-pollinating flowers:

there are no cleistogamous flowers

Sepal length:

5–8 mm

Sepals fused only to sepals:

the sepals are separate from one another

Shape of viscidium:

roughly circular

Spots on labellum:

no

Spur opening membrane:

there is no membrane over the spur opening

Spur opening shape:

roughly shaped like a keyhole
Fruits or seeds

Fruit length:

Up to 20 mm

Fruit width:

Up to 4 mm

Seed capsule orientation:

the capsule points upwards or outwards
Growth form
Plant height:

24–100 cm

Roots:

the rhizomes are non-coralloid
Underground organs:
slender roots

the plant has one or more swollen storage organs underground, such as bulbs, tubers or corms
myco-heterotrophic or not:

the plant is chlorophyllous
Leaves
Bract relative length:

the bract is shorter than the associated flower

Leaf arrangement:

alternate

Leaf blade edges:

the leaf edges are entire

Leaf blade length:

50–400 mm

Leaf blade length to width ratio:

6.7–8.3
Leaf blade shape:
elliptic

lanceolate
Leaf blade tip:
the tip of the leaf blade is acuminate

the tip of the leaf blade is acute
Leaf blade width:

6–60 mm

Leaves during flowering:

leaves are present during flowering
Number of leaves on stem:
two

three

four
Place
Ecosystem type:
bogs

disturbed habitats

marshes

meadows

prairie

savanna
Habitat:

terrestrial
Location:
Alabama

Arkansas

Connecticut

Delaware

District of Columbia

Florida

Georgia

Illinois

Indiana

Kentucky

Louisiana

Maryland

Massachusetts

Michigan

Mississippi

Missouri

New Hampshire

New Jersey

New York

North Carolina

Ohio

Oklahoma

Ontario

Pennsylvania

Rhode Island

South Carolina

Tennessee

Texas

Vermont

Virginia

West Virginia
Facts and Uses

Mycorrhiza

Monitoring

Propagation

Restoration

Native to North America

Yes

North American Conservation Status & Distribution

Conservation Status

Select a location to view conservation status:

	Conservation and Wetland Status
Global Rank	Secure
US Status	N/A
Canadian Status	N/A

	Conservation status for: Alabama
Global Rank	Secure
US Status	N/A
Alabama Rank	N/A
Alabama Status	N/A
Canadian Status	N/A
Wetland Status	Facultative Wetland

	Conservation status for: Arkansas
Global Rank	Secure
US Status	N/A
Arkansas Rank	N/A
Arkansas Status	N/A
Canadian Status	N/A
Wetland Status	Facultative Wetland

	Conservation status for: Connecticut
Global Rank	Secure
US Status	N/A
Connecticut Rank	Highly State Rare
Connecticut Status	Threatened
Canadian Status	N/A
Wetland Status	Facultative Wetland

	Conservation status for: District of Columbia
Global Rank	Secure
US Status	N/A
District of Columbia Rank	Possible Extirpated
District of Columbia Status	N/A
Canadian Status	N/A
Wetland Status	Facultative Wetland

	Conservation status for: Delaware
Global Rank	Secure
US Status	N/A
Delaware Rank	Possible Extirpated
Delaware Status	Historical
Canadian Status	N/A
Wetland Status	Facultative Wetland

	Conservation status for: Florida
Global Rank	Secure
US Status	N/A
Florida Rank	N/A
Florida Status	Threatened
Canadian Status	N/A
Wetland Status	Facultative Wetland

	Conservation status for: Georgia
Global Rank	Secure
US Status	N/A
Georgia Rank	Watch List
Georgia Status	N/A
Canadian Status	N/A
Wetland Status	Facultative Wetland

	Conservation status for: Illinois
Global Rank	Secure
US Status	N/A
Illinois Rank	Highly State Rare
Illinois Status	Endangered
Canadian Status	N/A
Wetland Status	Facultative Wetland

	Conservation status for: Indiana
Global Rank	Secure
US Status	N/A
Indiana Rank	Highly State Rare
Indiana Status	Endangered
Canadian Status	N/A
Wetland Status	Facultative Wetland

	Conservation status for: Kentucky
Global Rank	Secure
US Status	N/A
Kentucky Rank	Watch List
Kentucky Status	N/A
Canadian Status	N/A
Wetland Status	Facultative Wetland

	Conservation status for: Louisiana
Global Rank	Secure
US Status	N/A
Louisiana Rank	N/A
Louisiana Status	N/A
Canadian Status	N/A
Wetland Status	Facultative Wetland

	Conservation status for: Massachusetts
Global Rank	Secure
US Status	N/A
Massachusetts Rank	N/A
Massachusetts Status	N/A
Canadian Status	N/A
Wetland Status	Facultative Wetland

	Conservation status for: Maryland
Global Rank	Secure
US Status	N/A
Maryland Rank	State Rare
Maryland Status	Threatened
Canadian Status	N/A
Wetland Status	Facultative Wetland

	Conservation status for: Michigan
Global Rank	Secure
US Status	N/A
Michigan Rank	Highly State Rare
Michigan Status	Endangered
Canadian Status	N/A
Wetland Status	Facultative Wetland

	Conservation status for: Missouri
Global Rank	Secure
US Status	N/A
Missouri Rank	Highly State Rare
Missouri Status	N/A
Canadian Status	N/A
Wetland Status	Facultative Wetland

	Conservation status for: Mississippi
Global Rank	Secure
US Status	N/A
Mississippi Rank	N/A
Mississippi Status	N/A
Canadian Status	N/A
Wetland Status	Facultative Wetland

	Conservation status for: North Carolina
Global Rank	Secure
US Status	N/A
North Carolina Rank	Apparently Secure
North Carolina Status	N/A
Canadian Status	N/A
Wetland Status	Facultative Wetland

	Conservation status for: New Hampshire
Global Rank	Secure
US Status	N/A
New Hampshire Rank	N/A
New Hampshire Status	N/A
Canadian Status	N/A
Wetland Status	Facultative Wetland

	Conservation status for: New Jersey
Global Rank	Secure
US Status	N/A
New Jersey Rank	State Rare
New Jersey Status	N/A
Canadian Status	N/A
Wetland Status	Facultative Wetland

	Conservation status for: New York
Global Rank	Secure
US Status	N/A
New York Rank	Highly State Rare
New York Status	Endangered
Canadian Status	N/A
Wetland Status	Facultative Wetland

	Conservation status for: Ohio
Global Rank	Secure
US Status	N/A
Ohio Rank	State Rare
Ohio Status	Threatened
Canadian Status	N/A
Wetland Status	Facultative Wetland

	Conservation status for: Oklahoma
Global Rank	Secure
US Status	N/A
Oklahoma Rank	Highly State Rare
Oklahoma Status	N/A
Canadian Status	N/A
Wetland Status	Facultative Wetland

	Conservation status for: Pennsylvania
Global Rank	Secure
US Status	N/A
Pennsylvania Rank	State Rare
Pennsylvania Status	N/A
Canadian Status	N/A
Wetland Status	Facultative Wetland

	Conservation status for: Rhode Island
Global Rank	Secure
US Status	N/A
Rhode Island Rank	N/A
Rhode Island Status	Endangered
Canadian Status	N/A
Wetland Status	Facultative Wetland

	Conservation status for: South Carolina
Global Rank	Secure
US Status	N/A
South Carolina Rank	N/A
South Carolina Status	N/A
Canadian Status	N/A
Wetland Status	Facultative Wetland

	Conservation status for: Tennessee
Global Rank	Secure
US Status	N/A
Tennessee Rank	N/A
Tennessee Status	N/A
Canadian Status	N/A
Wetland Status	Facultative Wetland

	Conservation status for: Texas
Global Rank	Secure
US Status	N/A
Texas Rank	N/A
Texas Status	N/A
Canadian Status	N/A
Wetland Status	Facultative Wetland

	Conservation status for: Virginia
Global Rank	Secure
US Status	N/A
Virginia Rank	N/A
Virginia Status	N/A
Canadian Status	N/A
Wetland Status	Facultative Wetland

	Conservation status for: Vermont
Global Rank	Secure
US Status	N/A
Vermont Rank	N/A
Vermont Status	N/A
Canadian Status	N/A
Wetland Status	Facultative Wetland

	Conservation status for: West Virginia
Global Rank	Secure
US Status	N/A
West Virginia Rank	Watch List
West Virginia Status	N/A
Canadian Status	N/A
Wetland Status	Facultative Wetland

North America Distribution

Adapted from USDA data

Facts About

Pollination

Ecosystem Type

Characteristics

Flowers

Fruits or seeds

Growth form

Leaves

Place

Facts and Uses

Native to North America

North American Conservation Status & Distribution

Conservation Status

North America Distribution