Platanthera orbiculata (Pursh) Lindley. Subgenus: Platanthera. Section: Lysias. Common name: Large Round-leaved Orchid, Dessert-plate Orchid. Phenology: Jun-Sep. Habitat: Moist hardwood forests and seeps, especially over mafic, calcareous, or other more nutrient-rich substrates. Distribution: NL (Newfoundland) and NL (Labrador) west to AK, south to PA (and in the mountains to NC and TN), OH, IN, MN, SD, and OR.
Origin/Endemic status: Native
Taxonomy Comments: Reddoch & Reddoch (1993) showed that P. orbiculata differs from P. macrophylla at species rank.
Other Comments: Pollination is by night-flying moths, likely noctuids.
Synonymy ⓘ: = Can, FNA26, Il, K4, Mi, NE, NY, Pa, Tn, Va; = Habenaria orbiculata (Pursh) Hook. var. orbiculata — C, F; = Lysias orbiculata (Pursh) Rydb. — S, S13; = Platanthera orbiculata (Pursh) Lindl. var. orbiculata — NS, POWO, Luer (1975); < Habenaria orbiculata (Pursh) Hook. — G, RAB, W, WV, Correll (1950); > Habenaria orbiculata (Pursh) Hook. var. lehorsii Fernald — F. Basionym: Orchis orbiculata Pursh 1814
Links to other floras: = Platanthera orbiculata - FNA26
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Wetland Indicator Status:
- Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: FAC
- Great Plains: FAC
- Midwest: FAC
- Northcentral & Northeast: FAC
Heliophily ⓘ: 3
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Horticultural Information
Intro: Erect perennial of moist hardwood forests and seeps, especially over amphibolite.
Stems: Stem an unbranched, smooth flowering scape.
Leaves: Leaves in a pair at base of plant, flat against ground (a few bracts above); broadly oval to rounded; 2-8 in. long; with parallel veins and a central crease; shiny dark green and smooth.
Inforescence:
Flowers: Flowers 10-30 in a cylindric terminal spike; greenish-white; about 1 in. long; bilaterally symmetric; consisting of 3 oval sepals, a pair of sickle-shaped lateral petals, a narrowly elongate lip-petal at the bottom and, pointing backward, a slender, drooping, 1/2- to 1-in.-long spur.
Fruits: Fruit an erect, slender, ellipsoid capsule.
Comments:
Height: 4-23 in.
plant sale text:
bloom table text:
description: Erect perennial of moist hardwood forests and seeps, especially over amphibolite.
stems: Stem an unbranched, smooth flowering scape.
leaves: Leaves in a pair at base of plant, flat against ground (a few bracts above); broadly oval to rounded; 2-8 in. long; with parallel veins and a central crease; shiny dark green and smooth.
inflorescence:
flowers: Flowers 10-30 in a cylindric terminal spike; greenish-white; about 1 in. long; bilaterally symmetric; consisting of 3 oval sepals, a pair of sickle-shaped lateral petals, a narrowly elongate lip-petal at the bottom and, pointing backward, a slender, drooping, 1/2- to 1-in.-long spur.
fruits: Fruit an erect, slender, ellipsoid capsule.
comments:
cultural notes:
germination code:
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