Spermatophytes (seed plants): Angiosperms (flowering plants): Monocots: Asparagales
WEAKLEY'S FLORA (11/30/12):
Platanthera psycodes
FAMILY
Orchidaceae
Dig deeper at SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria.
Read about the Pollination of Platanthera psycodes at Mt. Mitchell State Park, North Carolina by Jim Fowler.
Read more: Purple Fringed Orchids on the Blue Ridge Parkway by Jim Fowler.
This species and P. grandiflora can be easily confused. Read more: Vascular Plants of North Carolina.
Learn two characteristics that will help to distinguish Small and Large Purple Fringed Orchid: Click here.
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Platanthera psycodes
FAMILY
Orchidaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 049-03-003a:
Habenaria psycodes var. psycodes
FAMILY
Orchidaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933)
Blephariglottis psycodes
COMMON NAME:
Small Purple Fringed Orchid, Butterfly Orchid, Lesser Purple Fringed Orchid
To see larger pictures, click or hover over the thumbnails.
)
Keith Bradley kab_p_psychodes_2333
June NC
)
Keith Bradley kab_p_psychodes_2339
June NC
)
Keith Bradley kab_p_psychodes_2354
June NC
)
Keith Bradley kab_p_psychodes_2357
June NC
)
Sam Pratt sbp_photo13
June Yancey County NC
Mount Mitchell State Park
)
Ben Geer Keys bgk630_a
Month Unknown
Lip with 3 heavily fringed lobes. Nectary opening usually barbell-shaped, per Wild Orchids of South Carolina: A Popular Natural History.
WEAKLEY'S FLORA (11/30/12):
Platanthera psycodes
FAMILY
Orchidaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Platanthera psycodes
FAMILY
Orchidaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 049-03-003a:
Habenaria psycodes var. psycodes
FAMILY
Orchidaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933)
Blephariglottis psycodes
630
Forb
Perennial
Native to the Carolinas & Georgia
Documented growing wild in GA NC SC
Uncommon (rare in GA)
Look for it in northern hardwood forests, other moist forests, seepages, bogs, per Weakley's Flora
Click here to see a more detailed map from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Herbarium,
or click here to see a map from SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria.
...Wet
...Moist
...Variable
LEAVES:
Simple
Alternate, with floral bracts upward
FLOWER:
Summer
Lilac-lavender/ Pinkish-purple
Bisexual
Bilaterally symmetrical
3 sepals, two lateral and one dorsal
3 petals, the two lateral similar and a third (the lip) enlarged
stamens and pistil fused together into a column
Inferior ovary
Raceme
FRUIT:
Summer
Capsule
TO LEARN MORE about this plant, look it up in a good book!
- Great Smoky Mountains Wildflowers p090
- Newcomb's Wildflower Guide p042
- Wildflowers of the Eastern United States p176
- Wild Flowers of NC, 1st edition p042
- Wild Flowers of NC, 2nd edition p047
- Wild Orchids of South Carolina: A Popular Natural History p150
- Wildflowers of Tennessee p404
- Wildflowers of Tennessee, the Ohio Valley, and the Southern Appalachians p463
- Wildflowers of the Southern Mountains p026