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The Platanthera genus is comprised of 200 terrestrial species. This genus can be found around the world in temperate regions. Many of the species occur in North America. Platanthera aquilonis is also known as the Northern Green Bog Orchis or Leafy Green Orchid and was formerly known as Platanthera hyperborea. The name Platanthera, is Greek for “wide anthers”, refers to the flower's broad anthers. "Aquilnois" meaning “of the north” refers to its range. This terrestrial orchid can be found growing in open wet meadows, roadside ditches and seeps, fens, bogs, and river gravel. The 20 to 45 flowers can be arranged loose to dense and are a dull yellow-green to whitish-green in color. The dorsal sepal is arching and obovate in shape. The Lateral sepals are spreading to recurved and linear oblong in shape. The petals are somewhat enclosed within the dorsal sepal forming a hood and are rhombic-linear in shape. The dull yellow-green lip can be descending, projecting or the tip can be caught on the dorsal sepal or petals. The spur is 0.2 to 0.5 cm long and is clavate to somewhat cylindrical in shape. The 2 to 4 leaves are linear lanceolate in shape and gradually reduce to floral bracts. The distribution range is Alaska east to Newfoundland, south to California, New Mexico, and Iowa, and east to Rhode Island. This distribution range includes Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, British Columbia and Alberta.
  Platanthera chorisiana is also known as Chamisso’s Orchid. This terrestrial orchid can be found in grasses and mossy turf. The very small green flowers number 5 to 20. The inflorescence is moderately lax raceme. The petals and sepals incurve forming a hood. The spur is very short, about 1 mm. The 2 to 4 leaves are sub-basal and elliptic in shape. The distribution is from Alaska thru Washington also Eurasia. If you see this orchid please get a GPS location and report the sighting to the Washington State Natural Heritage Program at 360-902-1710 or
 Platanthera dilatata var. albiflora is also known as White Bog-orchid or Bog Candles. This terrestrial orchid can be found in wet meadows and along streams. The white flowers are dense, very fragrant and can number up to 30. The spur is shorter than the lip. The leaves are clasped around the stem, linear-lanceolate shaped and number up to 12. The distribution is from Alaska thru Washington, Idaho, Montana, Utah, Wyoming and Colorado.
 Platanthera dilatata var. dilatata is also known as Tall White Bog-Orchid, Tall White Northern Orchid, Fragrant Orchid, Bog Candles or Leafy White Orchid. The Latin name dilatata means broadened which referes to the dilation at the base of the lip. This terrestrial orchid can be found in full sun in soggy soil, bogs, marshes, meadows and fens. The 25 to 35 flowers are white, yellowish white or greenish. The inflorescence is lax to densely cylindrical. The flowers have a clove like fragrance. The leaves are linear to lanceolate shaped. The distribution is from Alaska thru Newfoundland south to California thru New Mexico, Minnesota thru Indiana and Pennsylvania.
      Platanthera dilatata var. leucostachys or Fragrant Bog-Orchid Platanthera dilatata var. leucostachys is also known as Fragrant Bog Orchid, Sierra Rein-Orchid White Bog-Orchid or Bog Candles. This terrestrial orchid can be found in full sun in wet areas and can form large colonies. The white flowers are usually dense, very fragrant and can number up to 248. The spur is much longer than lip. The leaves alternate, clasp around the stem and can number up to a 12. The distribution is from southern Alaska thru California, Idaho, Montana, Utah, Wyoming, Nevada and Arizona.
 
Platanthera huronensis is also called Green Bog Orchis or Huron green orchid. The name Platanthera is Greek for "flat" and "flower," hence "wide or flat anthered" and the name huronensis is after Lake Huron. This terrestrial orchid can be found growing in open wet meadows, roadside ditches, seeps, fens, bogs and river gravel. This orchid is the most wide-spread of the green flowered rein orchises in northern North America. The plants found in open wet areas will have tall spikes with many dense flowers, verses the plants found in wooded areas have slender spikes and fewer flowers. The 20 to 75 fragrant flowers are arranged loose to dense. The dorsal sepal is obovate in shape. The lateral sepals are linear to oblong in shape. The petals are ovate to lance shaped and slightly enclosed within the dorsal sepal forming a hood. The lip is lanceolate shaped and the apex is caught within the tip of the dorsal sepal and petals. The sepals are whitish-green in color. The petals and lip are greenish-white in color. The spur is 0.4 to 1.2 cm long. The 2 to 4 leaves are oblong to linear-lanceolate in shape and gradually reduced to bracts. The distribution range is Alaska to Newfoundland south to California and Pennsylvania, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, British Columbia and Alberta.
   Platanthera obtusata is also known as Blunt-leaf Rein-Orchid or Small Leaved Bog-Orchid. The Latin word obtusatus means “blunt” which refers to the blunt leaves. This terrestrial orchid can be found in moist forests and tundras in generally shaded sites. This species is the smallest member of the genus. Pollinators are mosquitoes and pyralid moths. The 3 to 7 flowers are whitish-green and are arranged sparsely on the stem. The lip is tapered. The petals are twisted. The single leaf is obovate and near the base of the stem. This plant rarely has two leaves. The distribution is from Alaska thru Newfoundland, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Massachusetts, New York, Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island. If you see this orchid please get a GPS location and report the sighting to the Washington State Natural Heritage Program at 360-902-1710 or
  The Platanthera orbiculata or syn. Habenaria orbiculata or Large Round-Leaved Orchid or Round-Leaved Rein Orchid can be found in rich moist woods. This orchid can be found along the Pacific Crest Trail 2000 to Kendall Peak on Mount Rainier. The flowers are greenish white with a slender lip and long spur, in wandlike clusters. Flowers can number up to 20. The leaves are broadly rounded, shiny and paired at the base of the stem. The two leaves spread flat on the ground with a silvery underneath. Distribution is Washington, British Columbia east through the Great Lakes region, to Labrador and Newfoundland.
     Platanthera sparsiflora is also known as the Few-Flowered Rein-Orchid. This terrestrial orchid can be found in damp meadows, seepages, stream banks and wet conditions. The green to greenish-yellow flowers are lax and can number up to 120. The leaves are oblong shaped and can number up to 10. The distribution is from Washington thru California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico and Mexico. If you see this orchid please get a GPS location and report the sighting to the Washington State Natural Heritage Program at 360-902-1710 or
 Platanthera stricta is also known as Slender Bog-Orchid. This terrestrial orchid can be found in damp meadows, seepages areas and on stream banks. The 5 to 30 yellowish-green or green flowers are loosely packed. The spur is inflated and sack-like. The 4 to 10 leaves are oblong shaped. The distribution is from Alaska thru Alberta, Washington, Oregon, California, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Wyoming and Utah.
 
 
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