Platanthera praeclara

Taxobox
name = Western Prairie Fringed Orchid


image_width = 176px
regnum = Plantae
divisio = Magnoliophyta
classis = Liliopsida
ordo = Asparagales
familia = Orchidaceae
genus = "Platanthera"
species = "P. praeclara"
binomial = "Platanthera praeclara"
binomial_authority = Sheviak & M. L. Bowles

"Platanthera praeclara", known as the western prairie fringed orchid and the Great Plains white fringed orchid, is a rare and threatened plant native to North America. It has been listed as a threatened species in the United States since 1989 however it is not considered at threat by the IUCN.

The plant arises from a fleshy tuber. It grows from 1.25 to 3 feet tall (38-85 cm). Each plant can have up to two dozen or more flowers arranged in a stalk. "P. praeclara" is distinguished from "Platanthera leucophaea", the eastern prairie fringed orchid, by its slightly larger flowers, petal shape, and longer nectar spur.

"P. praeclara" is a long-lived perennial. It emerges in May and blooms in June or in July further north. The flowers are fragrant at night and are pollinated by large sphinx moths. "P. praeclara" is a plant of the tallgrass prairie and requires direct sunlight for growth. It is most often found in moist habitats or sedge meadows. "P. praeclara" has persisted in areas that have been lightly grazed, periodically burned, or regularly mowed. It is not yet understood how these activities affect plant survival. It may be that removal of dead grass mulch is beneficial, but heavy grazing is detrimental.

Historically, "P. praeclara" was found in tallgrass prairies west of the Mississippi River. It occurred from extreme southern Canada south to northeast Oklahoma. In Oklahoma, historical records (1975) exist for Craig and Rogers Counties. Currently, extant populations of the orchid are found in Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, and North Dakota.

The major factor contributing to the decline of "P. praeclara" has been the conversion of native prairie to croplands. Fire suppression, overgrazing, and habitat fragmentation also have contributed to the decline of the species.

References

*U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, [http://ifw2es.fws.gov/Oklahoma/orchid1.htm Western Prairie Fringed Orchid ("Platanthera praeclara")]

External links

* [http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=PLPR4 NRCS: USDA Plants Profile: "Platanthera praeclara"]