December 2008 North American Native Orchid Journal

NORTH AMERICAN
NATIVE ORCHID JOURNAL

Volume 14(4) 2008
IN THIS ISSUE:
A NEW SPECIES OF FRINGED PLATANTHERA FROM THE CENTRAL
APPALACHIAN MTS. OF EASTERN NORTH AMERICA
AN AUDIENCE WITH THE QUEEN
A LONG-KNOWN, BUT ENIGMATIC, PLATANTHERA HYBRID FROM EASTERN
NORTH AMERICA
ORCHIDS OF ATLANTIC COAST BARRIER ISLANDS FROM NORTH CAROLINA TO
NEW YORK
and more………….
The North American Native Orchid Journal (ISSN 1084-7332) is a publication devoted
to promoting interest and knowledge of the native orchids of North America. A
limited number of the print version of each issue of the Journal are available upon
request and electronic versions are available to all interested persons or institutions
free of charge. The Journal welcomes articles of any nature that deal with native or
introduced orchids that are found growing wild in North America, primarily north
of Mexico, although articles of general interest concerning Mexican species will
always be welcome.
NORTH AMERICAN
NATIVE ORCHID JOURNAL
Volume 14 (4) 2008
CONTENTS
NOTES FROM THE EDITOR

237
A NEW SPECIES OF FRINGED PLATANTHERA FROM THE CENTRAL APPALACHIAN
MOUNTAINS OF EASTERN NORTH AMERICA
Paul Martin Brown, Clete Smith & J. Scott Shriver
238
A LONG-KNOWN, BUT ENIGMATIC, PLATANTHERA HYBRID
FROM EASTERN NORTH AMERICA
Paul Martin Brown
254
Theo Witsell
262
OBSERVATIONS ON HEXALECTRIS NITIDA FROM CENTRAL TEXAS AND
A NEW COLOR FORM
Matt White & Paul Martin Brown
267
TWO COLOR FORMS FROM THE CENTRAL APPALACHIANS
Paul Martin Brown
270
THE CORRECT GENUS FOR THE JINGLE BELL ORCHID, HARRISELLA PORRECTA
Barbara Carlsward & Mark Whitten
272
ORCHIDS OF ATLANTIC COAST BARRIER ISLANDS
FROM NORTH CAROLINA TO NEW YORK
Eric E. Lamont & Richard Stalter
275
THE FUTURE…..?
The Slow Empiricist
288
BOOK REVIEWS
290
ORCHIDS OF RUSSIA AND ADJACENT COUNTRIES
THE MARIE SELBY BOTANICAL GARDENS
ILLUSTRATED DICTIONARY OF ORCHID GENERA
NEW TAXA AND COMBINATIONS PUBLISHED IN THE

NORTH AMERICAN NATIVE ORCHID JOURNAL VOLUME 14, 2008
293
Unless otherwise credited, all drawings in this issue are by Stan Folsom.
The opinions expressed in the Journal are those of the authors. Scientific articles may be subject to peer review and
popular articles will be examined for both accuracy and scientific content.
Volume 14(4): 237-296 issued October 15, 2008.
Copyright 2008 by the North American Native Orchid Journal
Cover: Epidendrum magnoliae by Stan Folsom
NOTES FROM THE EDITOR
This final issue of 2008 is a momentous one as the Journal presents not only a
new species, but a new hybrid and several new color forms, and is please to offer
three articles previously published in essentially non-orchid oriented publications.
After their many years of observations and collecting data I have been privileged to
work with Scott Shriver and Clete Smith in describing Platanthera shriveri, honoring
Scott‘s late father, Albert Shriver. This new species is a distinctive and beautiful
addition to the orchid flora of North America. Even more time has been spent by
many eastern orchid observers puzzling over a possible hybrid between Platanthera
psycodes and P. grandiflora. That mystery is now somewhat solved with P. ×enigma. The
electronic format continues to be well received and we now reach more than 1200
readers. You may read this and back issues at: http://wiki.terrorchid.org/tow:journals.
The current update of the North American Personal Checklist is also available at that
website and will continue to be updated quarterly as needed.
Paul Martin Brown
Editor
naorchid@aol.com
10896 SW 90th Terrace, Ocala, Florida 34481
PO Box 759, Acton, Maine 04001 June-mid October
As we begin our 15th year of publication
Coming in January 2009
A FAMILY ORCHID VACATION TO THE GREAT LAKES REGION

AND POINTS BEYOND
MORPHOLOGICAL VARIATION IN HABENARIA MACROCERATITIS
NATIVE ORCHID FLORAS AND PUBLICATIONS —2007-2008
PLATANTHERA HYBRIDS FROM WESTERN NORTH AMERICA
TWO NEW FORMS OF THE FLORIDA ADDER’S-MOUTH
and more!!!!!
237
Brown, Smith & Shriver: A NEW FRINGED PLATANTHERA (ORCHIDACEAE) FROM THE
CENTRAL APPALACHIAN MOUNTAINS OF EASTERN NORTH AMERICA
FIG. 1. PLATANTHERA SHRIVERI P.M. Brown
238
A NEW FRINGED PLATANTHERA (ORCHIDACEAE) FROM THE

CENTRAL APPALACHIAN MOUNTAINS OF
EASTERN NORTH AMERICA
Paul Martin Brown, Clete Smith & J. Scott Shriver
ABSTRACT
A new species of fringed orchid, Platanthera shriveri, from the central Appalachian Mountains, is described and
illustrated. It differs from the similar P. grandiflora (Bigelow) Lindley and P. ×keenanii P.M. Brown in its
flowering time, deeply laciniate lip segments, anther position, spur length, and longer persisting floral bracts.
Key Words: Orchidaceae, Platanthera, West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, hybrid orchids
INTRODUCTION
For more than ten years Shriver and Smith, along with Douglas Jolley, William Grafton,
Thomas Sampliner, Stanley Bentley, Rodney Bartgis, and others, have been observing a
distinctly different purple fringed orchid in the central Appalachians of West Virginia.
Several substantial pure colonies were observed that show no evidence of possible
hybridization, and flowering time is significantly later than that of the similar Platanthera
grandiflora. Often accompanied on these forays by Clete Smith‘s dear friend and Scott
Shriver‘s late father, Albert, the authors have described and named the new species in his
honor. For many of these years the plants in question were known among those observing
them as the ‗pale frilly orchids‘.
Platanthera shriveri P.M. Brown, sp. nov.

TYPE: USA, West Virginia, Pocahontas County, along Williams River Rd. (FS Rd. 216); 5.3
miles south of junction of FS 86 and 216. 17 July 1993. J. Scott Shriver 97 with Albert Shriver,
Clete Smith. (HOLOTYPE: CM). (Figures 1, 2, 3, 4a, 7a, 8 left, 9c, 10 upper right, 11).
Planta similis Platanthera grandiflora (Bigelow) Lindley, sed segmenta labelli profunde
laciniata, isthmus labelli longior, calcar longior, inflorescentia laxior, labellum concavum,
petala erecta marginatis laciniatis, petala non coniuncta sepalo medio, sepalum medium basi
angustatum.
Similar to Platanthera grandiflora (Bigelow) Lindley but differing in the deeply laciniate lip
segments, longer isthmus of the lip, longer spur, consistently lax inflorescence, concave lip,
and erect spreading petals with lacerate margins, free from dorsal sepal, and tapered to the
base.
Plants 35-110 cm. tall; leaves 3-4, wide-spreading and recurved to somewhat ascending,
scattered along stem, gradually reduced to bracts distally; blade lanceolate, elliptic, oblong-
elliptic, or oblong-obovate, the lower ones 5.0-6.5 cm wide × 12-18 cm long, the lowest leaf
usually somewhat smaller than the second leaf; inflorescence lax, 6-25 cm tall × 5-6 cm in
diameter with (8)15-22(40) clearly separated flowers, resupinate, showy, pale lavender to
rose-purple, floral bracts 3-5 mm wide by 30-45 mm long, persisting well beyond anthesis;
lateral sepals strongly reflexed, often marked vertically with darker veins; petals ovate,
erect, gradually tapered to base, margins clearly lacerate, often exceeding the dorsal sepal in
239
length by up to 5 mm, wide-spreading and free from the dorsal sepal, not forming the often
traditional ‗Platanthera hood‘ over the column; lip deeply 3-lobed, porrect, projecting
forward, concave or strongly ‗cupped‘, without basal thickening, 13–20 mm long × 18–25
mm wide, lobes deeply laciniate throughout; isthmus white, slender, usually (½)¾+ the
length of the lip; spur tapered to apex, 21–35 mm long = to ca. 1.75–2 times the length of
the lip; rostellum lobes directed forward, spreading, concave; ovary slender to stout 13–28
mm; fruit a capsule, usually 2-10 per raceme, subtended by the persistent, rather showy
bracts (Fig. 8)
Habitat: in partial to full shade of damp, open, mixed deciduous and coniferous woods,
often along seepage springs or streams, or on roadside banks amid mosses, ferns, grasses,
sedges, and/or nettles in mountains at elevations between 850-1,450 m (2,350-4,000 feet).
Flowering period: mid-July to early August
Etymology: shriveri in honor of Albert Shriver, Jr. (1923-2008)
Common name: Shriver‘s frilly orchid
Paratypes: NORTH CAROLINA: Watauga Co., Rich Mt. July 24, 1975. D.E. Boufford 17620 & E. Wood
(NCU); PENNSYLVANIA: Somerset Co., Buckstown. July 16, 1905. B.H. Patterson s.n. (CM); VIRGINIA:
Highland Co., along U.S. 250 north facing slope, 0.2 miles east of West Virginia state line, August 1, 2008. C.
Garratt s.n. photo & D. Jolley (CM, WVA); WEST VIRGINIA: Pocahontas Co., along USFS 14 (Wymer-
Thornwood/Middle Mt. Rd.) between 5.1-10 miles s of Wymer. July 29, 1995. J.S. Shriver 409 with A. Shriver &
C. Smith (WVA ; CM); along USFS 14 (Wymer-Thornwood/Middle Mt. Rd.) between the head of Fivemile
Hollow and Camp Pocahontas, July 29, 1995. J.S. Shriver 409 with A. Shriver and C. Smith, (WVA); Randolph
Co., July 30, 1938. E.E. Hutton s.n. (WVA).
As expected, the 1905 Patterson collection at CM was originally identified as
Blephariglottis grandiflora and subsequently by E. Wherry as Habenaria fimbriata, Platanthera
grandiflora by Stoutamire in 1972, and Shriver f. as P. ×keenanii in 1996. The more recent
collections of Shriver et al. were annotated as P. ×keenanii.
An additional interesting specimen collected by the W.V.U. Biological Expedition on
July 6, 1949, is also housed at WVA. The plant is in tight bud and Shriver f. comments on
the sheet (1996 annotation) that ‗plant only in bud so identity must be based upon expected
(ca. July 15-20) probable bloom date, vegetative appearance, and locality of collection….‘ At
that time he annotated it as probable Platanthera ×keenanii and the specimen now would be
considered probable P. shriveri. This collection had been previously annotated as Habenaria
bracteata (1949 as collected), H. viridis 1978 S. Norris and ―may not be H. viridis‖ G. White.
DISCUSSION
Plants of an apparently unique purple-flowered Platanthera were first noted in the
field in West Virginia by Smith and the Shrivers in 1992. Following the publication of
Platanthera ×keenanii in 1993 by Brown, those West Virginia plants were cautiously assigned
to that taxon. Noting distinct differences from more typical plants of P. ×keenanii found
nearby, the trio continued to search carefully for more sites and Shriver f. meticulously
documented each site and the plants therein. They found only one site of the typical P.
×keenanii. It was observed from 1992-1995 and produced only a few flowering plants during
that time. Subsequent searches for more plants of the hybrid in the ensuing years have not
yielded any plants. Platanthera ×keenanii may be one of the rarest orchids to be found in the
central Appalachians.
240
Fig. 2. Platanthera shriveri P.M. Brown

×1 Shriver’s frilly orchid
241
HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE: Platanthera shriveri flowers about three

weeks after P. grandiflora in sympatric areas
On July 17, 1992 we met Hal Horwitz and
and is usually still in bud when P. grandiflora is
Stan Bentley while on a trip to the Cranberry
Glades area in West Virginia. They directed us
ending its period of bloom (Fig. 5).
to a Platanthera ×andrewsii site along the Williams Stoutamire (1972) states: Platanthera grandiflora has
River Road. There were a few plants that were also been collected in flower during the first half of
June in the Carolina-Virginia-West Virginia
undoubtedly P. ×andrewsii (later, after 1994, we
area…..Flowering sequences are more complex in
realized they were actually P. ×keenanii). This
Virginia and in North Carolina where P. grandiflora has
was our first encounter with ‗P. grandiflora been collected and observed to flower in early
looking‘ plants. August….. at 5000-6000 ft altitude, and this disjunct
In the next few years we continued going to flowering sequence cannot be due to altitudinal
this site but the Platanthera ×keenanii dwindled differences. More than one phenological race of P.
down to where we saw nothing that resembled grandiflora may be present in the southern
that first encounter. However, we were noticing Appalachians, each being adapted to different broods
other plants blooming at this time that we of pollinators.
continued calling P. ×keenanii. These plants were
not at all similar to the original hybrids we saw. Following the lead of Stoutamire
They were much ‗showier‘ than the typical, but cited above, a reexamination of specimens of
beautiful, P. grandiflora. They even bloomed
Platanthera grandiflora from several herbaria
slightly later than when we had anticipated seeing
the P. ×keenanii. The plants would be in full- with significant Appalachian collections was
flower to half-flower at this time. Also, plants conducted. Specimens exhibiting late
flowered not only by the roadside where we flowering dates, after July 15th, were flagged
normally would see the P. grandiflora and P. and examined closely. Several of these late
×keenanii, but also deeper in the woods. We are flowering specimens proved to be P. shriveri
sure these plants went unnoticed until we were rather than P. grandiflora (cited in the
fortunate enough to see them on one of our paratypes). These specimens represent
numerous trips to the area.
historic P. shriveri occurrences and include a
In subsequent years we found the other sites
along Forest Road 14 (Wymer-Thornwood single specimen from both North Carolina
Road). We found the large site at the South end, and Pennsylvania and three specimens from
but there were numerous smaller sites and single- West Virginia. The geographic range of P.
plant sites along this 30 mile road. We started to shriveri, as a result of these historic discoveries
realize we were seeing something different, more in conjunction with extant populations, now
stable, than the hybrid P. ×keenanii. All the extends for 300 km and includes four states-
plants had the definitive upward aspect of the Penn., W. Va., Va., and N. C.
more frilly lip. We then noticed the much longer
Flowers of Platanthera shriveri are
spur and its upward horizontal aspect (fig. 4). It
was at this time we referred to this plant as ‗the comparable in size to those of P. grandiflora
late blooming grandiflora‘. This was July of 2001. with respect to lip length and lip width, but
The large Cranberry Glades site was added and differ noticeably in ovary length, spur length,
this was when we knew we had a very different, and differ to an even greater degree in
viable plant and we started referring to this plant average fringe depth. Plants of P. shriveri
as the ‗pale frilly‘. We now have the addition of possess longer ovaries (ca. 3.5 mm longer),
the large Virginia site and we feel that in the next longer spurs (ca. 6.2 mm longer), and deeper
few years we will add more sites to this list.
fringing (ca. 4.0 mm deeper). Also, the
Clete Smith
general look of the raceme is different when
one compares the ‗huskiest‘ specimens of the
242
P. shriveri to the ‗huskiest‘ specimens of P. grandiflora: the P. shriveri racemes display a much
more open appearance with fewer flowers allowing for more empty space between them,
whereas P. grandiflora racemes are denser, having flowers which overlap to a slight degree,
preventing any space between them. In addition, the fringed lip of the P. shriveri seems to
display a cup-like or concave shape to a far greater extent than the typical P. grandiflora lip.
Plants of Platanthera shriveri have been observed recently at five extant stations, each
with populations of 25 to 75 plants, in the Appalachian Mountains of eastern West Virginia
and Virginia, each with populations of 25-75 individuals. Two sites are located near
Cranberry Glades, one site near Thornwood with all three sites in Pocahontas County, West
Virginia, and one site consists of widely scattered individuals or small groupings spread along
a 10-miles section of a Forest service Road in Randolph County, and the most recent
recorded site for the species occurs along a US Highway west of Monterey, Virginia. The
Virginia site, discovered by Charles Garratt, of Warm Springs, Va., and Doug Jolley, of
Heaters, W. Va., on August 1, 2008 is especially significant because it represents a new state
record for P. shriveri (Fig. 6)!
It should be noted that in an effort to understand the identity of the purple fringed
Platanthera species in the Appalachians, one must ascertain whether a given population
represents a stand of a single species or perhaps a hybrid grouping that might involve natural
crossing between any of several native species. Making such a determination is not an easy
task. Most populations of purple fringed orchids studied in the Appalachian Highlands by
Clete Smith, J. Scott Shriver, and others who were involved in the elucidation of P. shriveri
have been found to exist in completely pure stands of a single species. When in pure stands,
Platanthera grandiflora is by far the most common of the purple fringed orchids at high
elevation in the Appalachians while P. shriveri is less common. Platanthera grandiflora and P.
shriveri are easy to separate as distinct species based upon morphology and flowering date.
There is, however, one notable population that has caused considerable confusion in the
separation of P. shriveri from P. grandiflora over the last 15 years. In Pocahontas County, West
Virginia, along the nine-mile length of a US Forest Service Road near Cranberry Glades, as
many as 250 purple-colored Platanthera orchids of questionable identity can be observed
apparently representing both taxa. Along this road both P. shriveri and P. grandiflora are
present, at least from the standpoint of morphology, and in many cases plants which appear
to represent a melding of the two species, putative hybrids, may be seen. Flowering dates, as
a means of separating P. shriveri from P. grandiflora, break down in this population as some
individuals which appear morphologically to favor P. grandiflora can be found in flower after
July 5th (after P. grandiflora is typically finished) while plants which appear morphologically to
favor P. shriveri can be found in bloom prior to July 8th (before P. shriveri typically commences
flowering). Intermediate plants may represent the possible hybrids between P. grandiflora and
P. shriveri. To further complicate the identity of the various purple Platanthera along this road,
the very distinctive P. × keenanii has been found here as well.
[ Note: A similar situation exists in the Osceola National Forest in northern Florida where Platanthera
chapmanii (Small) Luer is the dominant species and P. cristata (Michaux) Lindley, flowering a bit earlier, can also
be found in small local stands as well as P. ciliaris (Linnaeus) Lindley. Hybrids between P. ciliaris and P. cristata,
P. ×channellii Folsom, are occasionally found as well as the occasional hybrid between P. chapmanii and P. cristata,
P. ×apalachicola P.M. Brown & S.L. Stewart, each maintaining their own taxonomic identity (Brown and Stewart,
2003).]
243
The geographic distribution of several Platanthera species native to Appalachia is

significant if one expects to understand P. shriveri as a distinct taxon. Platanthera grandiflora is
rather frequent and occurs in 34 counties of both Appalachian Pennsylvania and West
Virginia. Platanthera lacera has an even greater distribution and may be seen in more than 50
counties of Appalachian Pennsylvania and West Virginia. Platanthera shriveri, however, seems
to be a far less common species. Platanthera shriveri is an Appalachian endemic, as far as is
currently known, and occurs at fewer than a half dozen extant sites scattered in two West
Virginia counties and in a single county of Virginia. Herbarium studies have uncovered a
couple of historic records for P. shriveri which extends the range of the species to the
Appalachian Highlands of both Pennsylvania and North Carolina. At the Carnegie Museum
Herbarium in Pittsburgh, a voucher for P. shriveri indicates the historical presence of the
species in Somerset County, Penn. This P. shriveri specimen was collected near Buckstown
by B. H. Patterson on July 16, 1905. Another voucher for P. shriveri at the North Carolina
University Herbarium indicates the species once grew in North Carolina. Platanthera shriveri
was collected from Rich Mountain in Watauga County. This P. shriveri specimen, collected
by D.E. Boufford and E. Wood on July 24, 1975, represents a significant southern range
extension for the species. Because Shriver‘s frilly orchid has just been taxonomically isolated
and revealed to the orchid community, it is quite possible that additional populations may be
found throughout the Appalachian Mountains in the next few years as more people seek to
locate the species. Perhaps some populations may even be located beyond the boundaries of
Appalachia. The presence of an orchid endemic to the Appalachian region is not unique as
Corallorhiza bentleyi Freudenstein, with a similar restricted distribution in West Virginia and
Virginia was described in 1999. Another orchid, Listera smallii Wiegand, and numerous other
non-orchids are also known as endemics or near-endemics to the region.
Interestingly, the hybrid Platanthera ×keenanii, in the Appalachians may actually be the
rarest of all the Platanthera taxa as it is known from only a single population in West Virginia.
This population has waned over the years and plants fitting the description of P. ×keenanii
are no longer extant anywhere in the region. Perhaps P. ×keenanii, as is the case with many
hybrids, represents a rather unstable and short-lived taxon. Keenan's hybrid orchid should
continue to be sought throughout Appalachia, especially in areas where its parents bloom
together.
Taxon Relationships
The section Blephariglottis of Platanthera, found in North America, presents several
of the showiest native orchids found on the continent. Although there have been only three
purple-flowered species–P. peramoena (A. Gray) A. Gray, P. psycodes (Linnaeus) Lindley, and P.
grandiflora–recognized for many years, a fourth member of this section with greenish-white-
yellowish flowers–P. lacera (Michaux) G. Don–is an important component for it has
contributed to two distinctive hybrids: P. ×andrewsii (Niles) Luer (P. lacera × P. psycodes) and P.
×keenanii (P. lacera × P. grandiflora). A fourth purple-flowered species is presented here–P.
shriveri.
Platanthera shriveri presents a situation that is not unique among North American
Platanthera species. Two taxa are known from southeastern United States–P. chapmanii (Small)
244
Luer and P. ×channellii Folsom–bearing strong superficial resemblances but having subtle
morphological differences (Folsom, 1984). Folsom‘s work set a precedent for recognizing
both the contemporary hybrid–P. ×channellii, and the species–P. chapmanii. The major
difference is that P. chapmanii is a stable, reproducing species but with a very limited
distribution in the panhandle of Florida, historically in adjacent Georgia, and in eastern
Texas (Brown, 2007) and P. ×channellii is an infrequent, if not rare, randomly occurring
hybrid throughout much of the range of its two parents, P. ciliaris and P. cristata. Because P.
chapmanii is intermediate in morphology, it has been hypothesized that that same parentage,
P. ciliaris and P. cristata, gave rise to P. chapmanii (Folsom, 1984; Brown and Folsom, 2007).
Platanthera pallida P.M. Brown from eastern Long Island may also represent this same
scenario with the ancestral parentage being P. blephariglottis (Willdenow) Lindley and P. cristata
(Michaux) Lindley and the contemporary hybrid being P. ×canbyi (Ames) Luer. Again, there
is a superficial resemblance but very distinctive differences and P. pallida grows in a few
restricted pure stands of several hundred plants (Brown, 1992, 2008) (Fig. 10).
In determining the status of Platanthera shriveri it is not so much a question of how

these plants differ from P. grandiflora, but how they differ from P. ×keenanii. Chart 1 shows
comparative data for those two taxa and applicable data for P. ×keenanii. In the case at hand
two superficially similar taxa, P. ×keenanii and P. shriveri, again having subtle morphological
differences, are found within the range of the putative parents of the hybrid taxon. In
situations such as this, one of the best empirical tests to determine the possibility of which
taxon is present is to take note of where they are growing and if they are sympatric with
other Platanthera species. Hybrids almost always occur in small numbers or even as
individuals with both parents nearby (although given the lifespan of some individuals only
one parent may be immediately present); whereas a species usually will occur with multiple
individuals in pure stands and/or with other species of Platanthera nearby. The
aforementioned hybrids tend to set little seed and rely upon active hybridization of the
parents to produce more plants. Only in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and, especially, in
western Newfoundland do P. lacera and P. grandiflora (and P. psycodes) occur in such numbers
and flower simultaneously, enable the creation of hybrid swarms with multitudes of apparent
backcrosses. There it is often difficult to find pure individuals of any of the three parent
species (Brown and Folsom, 2006; Catling and Catling, 1994)! In West Virginia this is neither
the case, nor the problem.
Populations of Platanthera shriveri in Appalachia are well defined and are known to
reproduce in pure stands in every extant station. Two of these pure stands have been closely
monitored and examined for 15 years and consist of 25-75 individuals, each with about an
equal distribution of mature, flowering plants and juvenile, seedling plants. Platanthera shriveri
at these sites demonstrates a high degree of morphological floral uniformity, and any of the
variations noted in individuals tend to be minor and are associated with attributes like plant
height, purple color intensity (pale vs. deep), or vertical veining, which may or may not be
well visible on the dorsal sepal of some plants. Uniformity is not only evident within a given
population in any year, but also remains true over several years, at least as is indicated by the
past 15 years of observations. Also, P. shriveri populations separated by distances of up to 50
miles are also florally identical, so the species shows virtual uniformity throughout its entire
range. As an implication of these observations, it is hypothesized here that P. shriveri
245
represents a distinct, long-lived, modern taxonomic species of possible ancient hybrid origin
with P. grandiflora and P. lacera as parents. Platanthera shriveri superficially resembles, but differs
significantly, from the local, occasionally observed, short-lived contemporary hybrid P.
×keenanii, with the same putative parentage, which is quite rare in Appalachia.
Sharing a similar scenario regarding origin, the three species considered here to be of
ancient hybrid lineage: Platanthera shriveri, P. chapmanii, and P. pallida, are all restricted in their
distribution, but the ancestral parents are widespread and relatively common. These same
three species occur at or near the edge of the ranges of the parents and individuals of the
respective species are reliably uniform in their morphology. In the case of all three
contemporary hybrid taxa (P. ×keenanii, P. ×canbyi, and P. ×channellii), a certain amount of
morphological variability is found among individuals that exhibit the various traits of the
parents.
Fig. 3 Platanthera shriveri illustrating the

distinctive lip and spur ×2
246
KEY TO THE PURPLE-FLOWERED PLATANTHERA SPECIES (see figure 7)

1a spur orifice a transverse oval, hourglass on its side, or a transverse dumbbell…P. psycodes
1b spur orifice rounded, rectangular, or angled…2
2a lip margin denticulate to very shallowly fringed…P. peramoena
2b lip margin fringed to more than ⅓ the depth of the lip segments…3
3a lip segments moderately to deeply fringed; isthmus stout, length ca. twice the width; spur 1¼ times
the length of the lip; orifice round….P. grandiflora
3b lip segments deeply and compoundly lacerate; isthmus slender, length ca. 4 times the width; spur 2-2½
times the length of the lip; orifice angled at top…..P. shriveri
Accommodating a hybrid in the above key is very difficult and also very artificial as plants of P. ×keenanii may
easily look like purple-flowered P. lacera, green- or white-flowered P. grandiflora with slender, lacerate lip
segments or any of the above combinations! Platanthera shriveri, on the other hand, does not show this variability
at all.
×½
a: Platanthera shriveri b: Platanthera ×keenanii c: Platanthera grandiflora
×2
Fig. 4. Comparison of individual flowers
247
10││││15││││20││││25││││30││││5││││10││││15││││20││││25││││30
June July
P. grandiflora 2007 2008 P. shriveri 2007 2008
Prime flowering dates 6/23/07 6/27/08 7/14/07 7/18/08

Fig. 5 Prime flowering time separation of Platanthera grandiflora and P. shriveri
PA
Somerset
○
WV
●
Randolph
Pocahontas
● ●
Highland
●● VA
○Watauga NC Fig. 6.
Distribution
of Platanthera shriveri
●= extant sites
○ = historical sites
248
P. shriveri P. grandiflora P. ×keenanii

inflorescence habit loose; flowers compact; flowers loose
well spaced approximate
lateral sepals strongly reflexed forward to reflexed reflexed
petals spatulate, gradually ovate-oblong abruptly slender, spatulate,

tapering to base tapering to base erect
erect and spreading overlapping with
dorsal sepal
lip deeply and com- incised usually to ca. slender lobes deeply
poundly laciniate ⅓+ the lip length and irregularly cut
isthmus narrow; = to ¾ broad; = to ⅓ the slender

the lip length lip length
spur tapering to apex, clavate ca.1½× length slender, clavate = to

1¾-2 × length of lip of lip ¾+ × lip length
orifice tapered at both ends rounded rounded
rostellum lobes widely spreading, spreading, convex parallel concave
Chart 1. Comparisons of morphological characters
a: P. shriveri b: P. grandiflora c: P. ×keenanii
Fig. 7. Column and

orifice ×5
d: P. lacera
249
a: P. grandiflora
horizontal, clavate spur
round orifice
simple fringing on margin of lip
b: P. lacera
descending, essentially clavate spur
erect petals
sparsely bifid, slender lip segments
c: P. shriveri
long, tapered horizontal to
somewhat ascending spur
spreading, prominently incised
petals
compound bifid, deeply fringed,
flabellate lip segments
d: P. ×keenanii
erect to spreading, non incised
Fig. 8. Infructescences of petals
Platanthera shriveri (left) and rounded orifice
P. grandiflora (right) × 1 irregularly bifid, incised slender
lip segments
Fig. 9. Individual flowers ×3
250
P. grandiflora P. ×keenanii P. lacera P. shriveri
P. cristata P. ×canbyi P. blephariglottis P. pallida
P. cristata P. ×channellii P. ciliaris P. chapmanii
Fig. 10. Comparisons of three (ancient hybrid) species (right column), possible parentage,
and contemporary hybrids (left column) ca. ×⅓
251
LITERATURE CITED:
Brown, P.M. 1992. Platanthera pallida (Orchidaceae), a new species of
fringed orchis from Long Island, New York, U.S.A. Novon 2: 308-
11.
______. 2002. Revalidation of Platanthera conspicua. North American
Native Orchid Journal 8: 3-14.
______. 2008. Platanthera pallida - fifteen years of comparisons. North
American Native Orchid Journal 14(2): 157-66.
Brown, P.M. and S.N. Folsom. 1993. A Field and Study Guide to the
Orchids of New England and New York. Jamaica Plain, Mass.: Orchis
Press.
______. 2006. Wild Orchids of the Canadian Maritimes and Northern Great
Lakes Region. Gainesville: University Press of Florida.
Brown, P.M. and S.L. Stewart. 2003. Two new Platanthera hybrids.
North American Native Orchid Journal 9: 35.
Catling, P.M. and V. Catling. 1994. Identification of Platanthera lacera
hybrids from New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. Lindleyana 9: 19-32.
Freudenstein, J. V. 1999. A new species of Corallorhiza (Orchidaceae)
from West Virginia, U.S.A. Novon 9: 511–13.
Folsom, J. P. 1984. Una reinterpretación del estatus y relaciones de las
taxa del complejo de Platanthera ciliaris. (A reinterpretation of the
status and relationships of taxa of the yellow-fringed orchid
complex.) Orquidea (Mexico City) 9: 321–45.
Stoutamire, W.P. 1974. Relationships of purple fringed orchids
Platanthera psycodes and P. grandiflora. Brittonia 26: 42-58.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:
Photographs of Platanthera shriveri, P. ×keenanii, P. grandiflora, P. lacera,
and Albert Shriver by J. Scott Shriver excepting figs. 3 & 4a, by Clete
Smith and fig. 11 by Shirley Curtis
Photographs of Platanthera cristata, P. ciliaris, P. chapmanii, P. pallida, P.
×canbyi, P. ×channellii by Paul Martin Brown
Line art:: fig. 2 by Stan Folsom, fig. 9, by J. Scott Shriver;.
The authors thank Bonnie Isaac, Collection Manager, Carnegie
Museum Herbarium (CM), Donna Ford-Werntz, Collection Manager,
West Virginia University Herbarium (WVA) for the loan of specimens
and Alan Weakly and the staff of University of North Carolina
Herbarium (NCU) for facilitating digital specimen scans, and Conley K.
McMullen, James Madison University (JMUH); the managers and/or
staff of NY, HUH, TENN, CLEM, PA, WCUH, DUKE, ASUH for
access to databases and checking specimens. Stan Folsom, Helen Jeude,
Jim Fowler, Scott Stewart, Tom Nelson, Dietrich and Ursula
Rueckbrodt, Sally Puth, Shirley Curtis, and two anonymous reviewers
made several helpful suggestions.
Paul Martin Brown, Research Associate, University of Florida

Herbarium, Florida Museum of Natural History, 379 Dickinson Hall,
PO Box 110575, Gainesville, FL 32611-0575 naorchid@aol.com
Clete Smith, 332 Fieldbrook Dr., Pittsburgh, PA 15228 cletehp@msn.com
J. Scott Shriver, 110 Hillvue Lane, Pittsburgh, PA 15237
sshriver@avonworth.k12.pa.us Fig. 11. Platanthera shriveri
252
Fig. 12. Albert Shriver with one of his precious orchids (1995).
253
Brown: A LONG-KNOWN, BUT ENIGMATIC, PLATANTHERA HYBRID FROM EASTERN NORTH AMERICA
Fig. 1 Platanthera ×enigma P.M. Brown

Cornish, Maine 30 July 2008
254
A LONG-KNOWN, BUT ENIGMATIC, PLATANTHERA HYBRID

FROM EASTERN NORTH AMERICA
Paul Martin Brown
Natural hybrids in the genus Platanthera in North America are not at all unusual and in
colonies of two or more species such hybrids are often detected. Hybrids among the fringed-lipped
Platanthera species are certainly not novel and nearly every combination possible has been published
or noted (Brown, 2008; Brown and Folsom, 2002). Eleven hybrid taxa or nothospecies have been
published in the fringed-lipped section of Platanthera (Appendix 1.) The following may now be added
to the list.
Platanthera ×enigma P.M. Brown nothsp. nov.

TYPE: U.S.A. Maine: York Co. wet (usually standing water) roadside ditch along state highway 5
south of Cornish, with graminoids and Ilex verticillata bordered by Tsuga canadensis. 3 August 2008.
P.M. Brown 30808 (holotype: MAINE). (Figures 1, 2, 3b, 4b, 5).
Planta inter Platanthera grandiflora (Bigelow) Lindley et P. psycodes (Linnaeus) Lindley intermedia et
habitu, colore et forma florum, vel proprietibus speciearum mixtis
Intermediate in characters between the two parents Platanthera grandiflora and P. psycodes
ETYMOLOGY: enigma from the Latin meaning something obscure, hard to understand, or explain
Platanthera grandiflora (Linnaeus) Lindley (figs. 3a, 4a) and P. psycodes (Linnaeus) Lindley (figs.
3c, 4c) often grow in similar moist habitats and even in the same physical areas in northeastern
North America. For much of the range, especially in the southern half of this area, the species do
not have an overlap of flowering times. But in northern New England, the Canadian Maritimes, and
especially southwestern Newfoundland both species may be frequently found flowering together
(Stoutamire, 1974). To complicate this scenario P. lacera (Michaux) G. Don is also often found with
them. This has resulted in hybrid swarms in Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland
that often defy specific parentage as backcrosses are prevalent (Catling and Catling, 1997). But in
much of New England, although the two species also grow with P. lacera, the flowering times are
more markedly separated. Only in far northern Vermont and New Hampshire does one find locales
with both purple species and occasional P. lacera flowering sympatrically. In northern York County,
southwestern Maine, plants of P. grandiflora flower from late June, in an early year, to late July, with
peak flowering in mid July. Platanthera psycodes flowers primarily in August with only a few early
plants to be found in late July. Although P. lacera is present most all of this time its habitat is usually
quite different—higher and drier—from either of the purple-flowered species and individuals of
both the hybrids, P. ×keenanii P.M. Brown and P. ×andrewsii (White in Niles) Luer, are very rare.
Stoutamire (1974) clearly demonstrated the distinctiveness of the two species. Popular works
for many years used the depth of the fringing on the lip as an aid to identification. After examining
255
several thousand plants of both species over the years it has become apparent that the relative depth
of the fringe in relation to the size of the lip is not a reliable character. In most cases it works well
with the fringe being ⅓ or less in Platanthera psycodes and greater than ⅓ in P. grandiflora, but many
plants exist of both species that do not conform to these criteria. The only reliable criteria are those
of the orifice shape, spur/ovary length, and overall flower size. Flower color is highly variable and
in one meadow in Newfoundland that contained both species and P. lacera all color and growth
forms could be found as well as a plethora of hybrids and backcrosses!
For over twenty years a roadside ditch near Cornish, Maine has regularly provided flowering
plants (3-12) of a somewhat enigmatic purple-flowered Platanthera. These plants flower with
regularity at the end of July and beginning of August. Although typical P. grandiflora may be found
not far away it usually flowers in early July and P. psycodes down the road in mid August. Climate
being what it may in Maine there have been years when both species have had a brief overlap in
flowering time – thus the resulting putative hybrid plants in the ditch. Although hybrids of P.
grandiflora and P. psycodes have often been mentioned in the literature and observed in the field,
sorting out pure hybrids from the swarms has proven to be less than reliable (Catling and Catling,
1997; Correll, 1939; Fernald, 1950; Sheviak, 2002). For this reason several workers with these species
have refrained from formally describing the hybrid.
Here in Cornish the hybrid plants are clearly evident with no indication of backcrossing or
influence from Platanthera lacera. In many ways these are classic hybrids showing the influence of
both parents. Overall the plants appear at first glance to be a robust P. psycodes until one looks closely
at the flowers and notes the floral size, just over 1 cm across, deeply fringed lip segments, and the
more rounded orifice typical of P. grandiflora. The spur orifice is neither the neat circular shape of P.
grandiflora nor the distinctive transverse oval or dumbbell of P. psycodes, but more of a rounded
square. A note here on the ‗transverse dumbbell‘ shape is in order. This shape is created by a
thickened ridge at the roof of the nectary and may or may not be clearly evident in all individuals. If
this ridge extending is at the opening of the nectary then the dumbbell shape is created but if the
ridge starts just inside the opening then it is less evident and the opening appears more oval in
shape, still dramatically different from that of P. grandiflora. Stoutamire (1974) states ―The nectary
opening [of P. psycodes] is oblong in face view and often is partially constricted by a projection from the roof of the
nectary at the entrance or just inside the orifice, effectively producing two lateral openings, one beneath each
viscidium… The degree of constriction of the nectary varies from plant to plant and perhaps with flower age but is
distinct from the unobstructed circular opening characteristic of P. grandiflora‖.
Plants of Platanthera ×enigma have been casually identified in the past as small, late ‗grandiflora‘
or early large ‗psycodes‘—both perfectly logical conclusions and suited to the hybrids. One of the
most curious things about these plants is that the spur and ovary are heavily tinted with purple,
unlike plants observed of P. grandiflora and P. psycodes in this area, although P. psycodes from other
geographic areas show this pigmentation (Saulys, 2005).
Chart 1 shows comparative dimensions and measurements of the two parents and the hybrid
and figures 3 and 4 show photographs of the three taxa. Light, moisture, and exposure greatly
influence the habit of most Platanthera species and to ensure an equitable comparison plants were
chosen from similar wet habitats with similar light conditions.
256
Fig.2 Platanthera ×enigma

Cornish, Maine 30 July 2008
257
Fig. 3 a:
Platanthera
grandiflora
b: P.
×enigma
c: P.
psycodes
_____ = 1
cm
Fig. 4 a: Platanthera grandiflora b: P. ×enigma c: P. psycodes

__________ = 1 cm
258
Fig. 5. The granddaddy of all Platanthera ×enigma

This individual was 112 cm tall with stem diameter near base of 2 cm (base of plant not visible as it is in the water) and
the inflorescence was 30 cm with over 200 flowers and buds!
Cornish, Maine 3 August 2008
259
P. grandiflora P. ×enigma P. psycodes

raceme diameter 4–6 cm 3–4 cm 2–3 cm
diameter/height ratio 1:1–1:3 1:3–1:5 1:4–1:8
lip width 2 cm 1.5 cm 1 cm
fringe depth 3–10 mm 2–7 mm 1–3 mm
spur length (22) 26 (30) mm 20 (22) mm (12) 15 (18) mm
ovary length 25 mm 12–18 mm 15 mm
orifice shape rounded rounded to oval transverse oval/dumbbell
anther placement parallel somewhat angled angled
floral bract length 27 mm lower–15 mm upper 30 mm lower–10 mm upper 17 mm lower–5 mm upper
Chart 1. Comparison of morphological characters from 10 individuals from southern Maine

Summary of chart 1:
P. grandiflora has proportionately stout, rectangular racemes with eventually all flowers open
simultaneously
P. psycodes has proportionately slender, elongated, often tapering, racemes with the lower flowers
senescing by the time the uppermost flowers open
Height of plants (P. psycodes is often much taller than P. grandiflora) and number, placement and/or
size of leaves is not pertinent and can vary considerably with both species depending on latitude,
altitude, and habitat.
In theory plants of P. ×enigma could favor either parent and appear to be small-flowered P. grandiflora
or large flowered P. psycodes. In the Cornish site the overall aspect is that of a large, robust P. psycodes.
Plants seen in Newfoundland appear to favor P. grandiflora in overall aspect but with small flowers.
Appendix 1. Published hybrids in the fringed-lipped section of Platanthera

Platanthera ×andrewsii (White in Niles) Luer Platanthera ×enigma P.M. Brown
(P. lacera × P. psycodes) (P. grandiflora × P. psycodes)
Bog-trotting for Orchids. P. 258. 1904. North American Native Orchid Journal 14(4): 255
Platanthera ×apalachicola P.M. Brown & S.L. Stewart Platanthera ×hollandiae Catling & Brownell
(P. chapmanii × P. cristata) (P. leucophaea × P. lacera)
North American Native Orchid Journal 9: 35. 2003. Canadian Journal of Botany 77(8): 1144-49. 1999.
Platanthera ×beckneri P.M. Brown Platanthera ×keenanii P.M. Brown

(P. conspicua × P. cristata) (P. grandiflora × P. lacera)
North American Native Orchid Journal 8: 3-14. 2002. Field and Study Guide to the Orchids of the New England and
New York p. 189. 1993.
Platanthera ×bicolor (Rafinesque) Luer
(P. blephariglottis × P. ciliaris) Platanthera ×lueri P.M. Brown
Flora Telleuriana 2: 39. 1837 (P. conspicua × P. ciliaris)
North American Native Orchid Journal 8: 3-14. 2002.
Platanthera ×canbyi (Ames) Luer
(P. blephariglottis × P. cristata) Platanthera ×osceola P.M. Brown & S.L. Stewart
Rhodora 10: 70. 1908. (P. chapmanii × P. ciliaris)
North American Native Orchid Journal 9: 35. 2003.
Platanthera ×channellii Folsom
(P. ciliaris × P. cristata) Platanthera ×reznicekii Catling, Brownell & G. Allen
Orquidea (Mex.) 9(2): 334. 1984. (P. leucophaea × P. psycodes)
Lindleyana 14(2): 77-86. 1999.
LITERATURE CITED:
Brown P.M. 2008. Personal Checklist of the Orchids of North America north of Mexico. Special Publication #4 of the
North American Native Orchid Journal.
260
Brown, P.M. and S.N. Folsom. 2002. The Wild Orchids of North America north of Mexico. Gainesville: University Press of
Florida.
_____. 2006. Wild Orchids of the Canadian Maritimes and Northern Great Lakes Region. Gainesville: University Press of
Florida.
_____. 2007. Wild Orchids of the Northeast. Gainesville: University Press of Florida.
Catling P.M. and V. Catling. 1994. Identification of Platanthera lacera hybrids from New Brunswick and Nova Scotia.
Lindleyana 9: 19-32.
Correll, D. S. 1939. A new status for × Habenaria andrewsii. Botanical Museum Leaflet 7(4): 57-68.
_____. 1950. Native Orchids of North America North of Mexico. Waltham, Mass.: Chronica Botanica
Fernald, M.L. 1950. Gray’s Manual of Botany 8th edition. New York: American Book Company.
Saulys, E.S. 2005 Platanthera psycodes images in Connecticut Botanical Society website http://ct-botanical-
society.org/galleries/platantherapsyc.html
Sheviak, C.S. 2002. Platanthera pp. 551-71. In: Flora of North America Editorial Committee, eds., Flora of North America
north of Mexico vol. 26. Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press.
Stoutamire, W.P. 1974. Relationships of purple fringed orchids Platanthera psycodes and P. grandiflora. Brittonia 26: 42-58.
Acknowledgements:
The author thanks Chuck Sheviak and Paul Catling for early discussions concerning the status of this hybrid
combination , Stan Folsom for initially taking PMB to the location in Cornish, Maine in 1986 and subsequent sightings
through 2008, and Scott Stewart, Jim Fowler, Sylvain Beausejour, Sally Puth, and Shirley Curtis for helpful corrections
and comments.
261
Witsell: AN AUDIENCE WITH THE QUEEN

Theo Witsell
Photographs by Craig Fraiser
Reprinted with permission from Claytonia (Arkansas Native Plant Society Journal) Fall-Winter 2008.
Craig ―Coondog‖ Fraiser and I recently spent two long hot days in the Springfield
Plateau section of the Ozarks exploring sinkhole ponds and two anonymous spring-fed stream
gorges*. We had hoped to find some new species for Arkansas – Virginia sneezeweed (Helenium
virginicum), forked aster (Eurybia furcata) and tall larkspur (Delphinium exaltatum), but struck out on
all counts. But deep down, unspoken even, we were secretly both hoping to discover a new
population of the showy lady‘s-slipper orchid (Cypripedium reginae), far and away the rarest and
most seldom-seen lady‘s-slipper in Arkansas. It is so rare, and so spectacular, that it often goes
by its other name: simply ―The Queen‖.
The rugged limestone gorges of the Springfield Plateau provide habitat for many rare species.
As we hiked up the rugged canyon of our first stream, we searched likely habitat for
262
forked aster (bases of bluffs and limestone ledges with an accumulation of rich, moist soil), but
to no avail. But the scenery was spectacular and the water was among the cleanest and clearest
I‘ve ever seen in Arkansas. So clear, in fact, that the clarity was deceiving, turning what looked
like a knee-deep step into a cold, take-your-breath-away belly-deep plunge. Rare and uncommon
plants abounded along the stream, with cascades of running strawberry bush (Euonymus obovata)
spilling from blufftops, and sheer walls peppered with the grey-green foliage of the littleflower
alumroot (Heuchera parviflora var. puberula). The rock ledges along the stream banks were loaded
with plants that indicated the presence of groundwater seepage: golden ragwort (Packera aurea),
umbrella sedge (Fuirena simplex var. simplex), shining coneflower (Rudbeckia fulgida), bishop‘s cap
(Mitella diphylla), grass-of-Parnassus (Parnassia grandifolia), and bristly-stalked sedge (Carex leptalea).
In the woods along the stream we also found ―new‖ populations of several rare species
including satin brome (Bromus nottowayanus), blue cohosh (Caulophyllum thalictroides), and butternut
(Juglans cinerea). Even the sand grape (Vitis rupestris), by far the rarest of our native grapes, with
its wide, folded leaves, was found growing in the gravel of the stream bed.
The hanging garden, high above the stream, keeping the Queen safe from her enemies.
The streams we were traveling in were deeply incised, forming dramatic ‗box canyons‘with bluff
walls and narrow floodplains, making walking in the stream channel the most convenient, and
263
perhaps the safest, avenue for travel. Signs of roaring spring floods (drifts of dead leaves
crammed head high in the branches of shrub thickets, occasional logjams against trees high
above the water, and high, steep-walled gravel bars up against deep, scoured, bedrock-bottomed
pools) spoke to the fact that the streams, while they are lazy and docile in the summer, have an
excitable mean streak during the wet season. All along, as we waded in the cool water, we
scanned the bluffs for the telltale signs of seepage, which would tell us to be on the lookout.
To get to our second stream, we descended over 300 feet down into its gorge from an
adjacent ridgetop (there are no roads that cross this particular stream due to the rugged and
inaccessible terrain). When we reached the valley floor we arbitrarily decided to go upstream.
The water was cold and still running in early August, indicating that springs supply a good
portion of the flow. After about a mile of slipping and sliding up the creek, necks craned to
survey the bluffs, I did a double-take. There, 16 feet up on a sheer limestone wall, was a small,
lush ―hanging garden‖, perhaps five feet wide and three or four feet front-to-back, obviously
kept moist by the gentle emergence of groundwater. Against the wall of the bluff, at the back of
this secret garden, were ten of the largest lady‘s-slipper orchids I‘ve ever seen! The biggest were
perhaps three feet tall, with leaves eight or ten inches in length. The specific epithet, reginae (the
Queen), is aptly given.
Surveying the bluffs is best done from the stream channel, but watch out for leeches, be sure to keep your pack out
of the water, and always take a waterproof bag for your camera and phone! You‘ll fall in eventually.
Believe me, I speak from experience.
264
The unique and fragile microhabitat supporting this small population was remarkable in
itself, as was the assemblage of associate species present – the Queen‘s court. There were a few
small, arching shrubs of ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius) and the uncommon alternate-leaved
dogwood (Cornus alternifolia). And there were a number of seepage-loving herbaceous plants:
spotted cowbane (Oxypolis rigidior), grass-of-Parnassus, bristly-stalked sedge, shining coneflower,
bearded shorthusk grass (Brachyelytrum erectum), and even eastern columbine (Aquilegia canadensis).
Everything must have been just perfect… just the right amount of light, the required
mycorrhizal fungi to assist the orchids in obtaining nutrients, just the right amount of water, and
the inaccessible site itself… a fortified castle to protect the Queen from her enemies, like hungry
deer and greedy poachers.
The Queen and her court.
The day, which was hot and humid with thunder clapping in the distance, suddenly
seemed brighter with our discovery and I felt somewhat lighter as we slogged back down the
creek and up the steep slopes out of the gorge. We didn‘t find what we had really set out to
find, but we got a number of nice surprises along the way and got a rare audience with The
Queen, something I think we‘ll both remember for a long, long time.
265
Showy lady‘s-slipper orchid (Cypripedium reginae). Photo by John Pelton.
* The names of these streams are not disclosed here because of the unfortunate and continued
poaching of lady‘s-slipper orchids, especially the Queen slipper, from the wild by collectors.
Several historical populations in Arkansas are now gone because all the plants were dug out.
Carl Hunter once told me that, at one time, he knew of five sites for the species in Benton
County, but that all of them had been lost to poachers. Today no populations are known to
survive in the northwestern part of Arkansas, and only four are known in the entire state.
Theo Witsell, Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission, 1500 Tower Building, 323 Center St.,
Little Rock , AR 72201 theo@arkansasheritage.org
266
White & Brown: OBSERVATIONS ON HEXALECTRIS NITIDA FROM CENTRAL TEXAS AND
A NEW COLOR FORM
OBSERVATIONS ON HEXALECTRIS NITIDA FROM CENTRAL TEXAS AND

A NEW COLOR FORM
Matt White & Paul Martin Brown
Hexalectris nitida L.O.
Williams occurs in both
cleistogamous and chasmo-
gamous flowering forms.
The species is known from
widespread locales in Texas,
a single historical site in New
Mexico, and scattered sites in
northern Mexico. For several
years pale-colored plants of
the more common cleisto-
gamous form have been
observed in at least three
counties in Texas (Fig. 4).
White‘s observations in
Dallas County have proven
valuable in understanding
this color form. Unlike many
‗colorless‘ forms, lacking in
all anthocyanins—the red,
purple and/or blue color-
ations, the lip in this case is
still highly colored as in the
typical plants. Figure 3 shows
the lip teased open to reveal
the coloration. Also growing
nearby is the pale form of
the Texas H. warnockii Ames
& Correll forma flavida
Catling (Fig. 5). Note that the
lip in this case does lack all
purple coloration. Color
forms such as these are not
unique in the genus and have
been described in H. spicata
(forma lutea, wilderi), and H.
grandiflora (forma luteoalba)
(Brown, 2008).
Fig.1 Hexalectris nitida forma albescens M. White & P.M. Brown
267
A NEW COLOR FORM
Hexalectris nitida L.O. Williams forma albescens M. White & P.M. Brown forma nov.
TYPE: U.S.A.: Texas, Dallas County. Cedar Hill, Cedar Ridge Preserve off Cedar Break
Trail, in oak-juniper woods July 20, 2008. M. White s.n. Fig. 1-3,6.
(Holotype: BRIT)
Forma plantae et floribus leuteo albescens conspeciebus diversa.
Differing from the type in having yellowish-white flowers and stems.
Fig. 2 Cleistogamous flower typical Fig. 3 Flower teased open showing colored lip
of the forma albescens
Fig. 4 Distribution of Hexalectris nitida in Texas;

with observations of forma albescens indicated by Fig. 5 Hexalectris warnockii forma flavida
green dots indicate widespread, red dots local, populations
Adapted from Brown & Folsom, Field Guide to the Wild Orchids of Texas, University Press of Florida, 2007.
268
A NEW COLOR FORM
Fig. 6
Photographs by Matt White
269
Brown: TWO COLOR FORMS FROM THE CENTRAL APPALACHIANS
TWO COLOR FORMS FROM THE CENTRAL APPALACHIANS

Paul Martin Brown
Color forms in many of our North American native orchid genera are not that unusual and in
the genus Corallorhiza color variation is almost the norm. In the recently described Corallorhiza bentleyi
J.V. Freudenstein (1999), itself a rarity, a few plants have been observed that are lacking in
anythocyans and have pure yellow stems and flowers. These distinctively colored plants are often
more colorful than the more typical brownish colored plants that accompany them.
Corallorhiza bentleyi J.V. Freudenstein forma flavida P.M. Brown forma nov.
TYPE: U.S.A.: West Virginia, Pochahontas County, roadside near junction of routes 250, 28, and
Rd. 54 just north of Rd. 54, east side of road by pullout; plants yellow, lip pale yellow, unspotted; 8
plants scattered in woodland. August 9, 2007. P.M. Brown 70809. Fig. 1. (Holotype: WVA)
Forma plantae et floribus flavida conspeciebus diversa.
Differing from the type in having yellow flowers and stems.
Listera smallii Wiegand (1899) is an occasional orchid primarily of the southern Appalachians
ranging from disjunct sites in northern New Jersey through the Alleghanies of central Pennsylvania
and then becoming more frequent in the mountains of West Virginia south to northern Georgia.
When the species was first published (as L. reniformis, a name already in use for an Asian species of
Listera) the color of the type specimen was clearly stated as green.
Perennial, fleshy, deep green. Stem erect, 1-3 dm. tall, slender glabrous or nearly so below, densely glandular-
pubescent above, simple ; leaves 2, opposite, about the middle of the stem, reniform or ovate-reniform, 1-3 cm.
in diameter, apiculate or short acuminate, glabrous above, more or less pubescent beneath, cordate or
subcordate, sessile ; racemes 2-10 cm, long ; flowers greenish ; bracts lanceolate or ovate-lanceolate, 3-5 mm.
long, acute… (Small, 1897).
Although the richly cinnamon-colored flowers often identified with this species may be more
frequent, and often appear in illustrations, they have never be formally treated as a color form.
Listera smallii Wiegand forma cinnamomea P.M. Brown forma nov.

TYPE: U.S.A.: Pennsylvania, Centre County. ca. 10 mi SSE of State College, Rothrock State Forest,
along Bear Meadows Rd., 31 July 1993, leaf litter under Rhododendron. J. Scott Shriver 127 with Albert
Shriver, Clete Smith. Fig. 2. (Holotype: CM)
Forma floribus cinnamomea conspeciebus diversa.
Differing from the type in having cinnamon-colored flowers.
LITERATURE CITED:
Freudenstein, J.V. 1999. A New Species of Corallorhiza (Orchidaceae) from West Virginia, U.S.A. Novon 9(4): 511-13.
Small, J.K. 1897. Studies in the Botany of the Southeastern United States-XI. Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club 24(7): 334.
Wiegand, K.M. 1899. A revision of the genus Listera. Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club, 26(4): 157-71.
Special thanks to Bonnie Isaac, Collection Manager, Carnegie Museum Herbarium (CM), Donna Ford-Werntz,
Collection Manager, West Virginia University Herbarium (WVA).
270
Brown: TWO COLOR FORMS FROM THE CENTRAL APPALACHIANS
Fig. 1
Corallorhiza bentleyi forma flavida P.M. Brown
Pochahontas Co., West Virginia August 10, 2007
Fig. 2
Listera smallii forma cinnamomea P.M. Brown
Centre Co., Pennsylvania 21 July 1996
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Carlsward & Whitten: THE CORRECT GENUS FOR THE JINGLE BELL ORCHID, HARRISELLA PORRECTA
THE CORRECT GENUS FOR THE JINGLE BELL ORCHID, HARRISELLA

PORRECTA
Barbara Carlsward & Mark Whitten
Note: Mark Whitten recently brought to my attention two of his recent publications that validate the inclusion of the
familiar Florida jingle-bell orchid, Harrisella porrecta, in the genus Dendrophylax. The following is taken from these two
papers: Molecular phylogenetics of neotropical leafless Angraecinae (Orchidaceae): reevaluation of generic concepts.
Barbara S. Carlsward, W. Mark Whitten, and Norris H. Williams International Journal of Plant Science 164(1):43–51. 2003
and Ghosts of the Caribbean. Mark Whitten and Barbara S. Carlsward. Orchids 75(10): 742-49. 2006. PMB
All species of Dendrophylax, Harrisella, and Polyradicion are leafless, but Campylocentrum includes
both leafy and leafless species. Flower size varies dramatically among and within genera.
Dendrophylax funalis (Sw.) Benth. ex Rolfe, Dendrophylax fawcettii Rolfe, Dendrophylax sallei (Rchb.f.)
Benth. ex Rolfe, and Polyradicion lindenii (Lindl.) Garay produce large white, nocturnally fragrant
flowers with long, nectariferous spurs (ca. 15 cm in D. fawcettii), whereas other species of
Dendrophylax produce much smaller, greenish flowers. Harrisella porrecta (Rchb.f.) Fawc. & Rendle has
tiny, greenish tan flowers with a short (ca. 1 mm), bilobed spur; the inflorescence is few flowered
and relatively lax. In contrast, most species of Campylocentrum produce short, congested inflorescence
axes bearing 10–20 small, white flowers with relatively short spurs. Many of the Old World
Angraecinae have large white, spurred flowers that exhibit a hawkmoth pollination syndrome.
Because vegetative characters are reduced or greatly altered in these leafless orchids, the
generic concepts of Neotropical Angraecinae have been based largely on gross floral and pollinarium
morphology. Most species were originally placed in the genus Aeranthus Lindl. by early workers and
were later separated from the Paleotropical taxa into segregate genera. The most recent
comprehensive taxonomic treatment of Neotropical Angraecinae is that of Nir (2000) in his
examination of Antillean Orchidaceae. In this work, Nir (2000) transferred Polyradicion and
Campylocentrum constanzense Garay into Dendrophylax and transferred Harrisella into Campylocentrum,
leaving two Neotropical genera distinguished by flower resupination and fruit size.
To date, four species of Harrisella have been described: H. porrecta (Fig. 1,2), Harrisella
filiformis (Sw.) Cogn., Harrisella Monteverdi (Rchb.f.) Cogn., and Harrisella uniflora Dietrich. Ackerman
(1995) examined the types of these taxa and concluded that H. filiformis and H. monteverdi were
synonymous with the leafless Campylocentrum filiforme (Sw.) Cogn. ex Kuntze. Citing unpublished
studies of Cuban Harrisella by Jorge Ferro Díaz, Ackerman (1995) also regarded H. uniflora as a
synonym of H. porrecta. Conversely, Nir (2000) regarded H. uniflora as a synonym of C. filiforme. In
both cases, Harrisella was reduced to a single species, H. porrecta.
Specimens were obtained from cultivated material, herbarium specimens, or wild-collected
plants. Samples of Polyradicion lindenii, Campylocentrum pachyrrhizum (Rchb.f.) Rolfe, and Harrisella
porrecta from Fakahatchee Strand State Preserve State Park, Florida, and H. porrecta from Grand
Cayman are unvouchered; we were only allowed to collect root tips because of the rarity of these
species at these localities. Protocols for extraction, amplification, and DNA sequencing from fresh
and silica gel–dried material are given in Whitten et al. (2000).
272
The results of this work required the transfer of Harrisella porrecta to the genus Dendrophylax.
Dendrophylax porrectus (Rchb.f.) Carlsward & Whitten
Basionym. Aeranthus porrectus Rchb.f., Flora 48:279, 1865.
Synonyms. Campylocentrum porrectum (Rchb.f.) Rolfe, The Orchid Review 11:247, 1903; Harrisella porrecta
(Rchb.f.) Fawc. & Rendle, Journal of Botany 47:266, 1909; Harrisella amesiana Cogn., Symbolae Antillanae
6:687, 1910; Harrisella uniflora H. Dietr., Die Orchidee 33:18–19, 1982.
Distribution. El Salvador, Florida, Greater Antilles, Mexico.
Fig.1 Flowers of D. porrectus, showing the short, Fig. 2 D. porrectus (in fruit) from south Florida, growing on
saccate, bilobed spur at the base. Taxodium twigs; the roots are intertwined with spun silken
tubes of web spinner insects (Embyoptera).
The molecular data also show that the large-flowered D. lindenii (syn. Polyradicion
lindenii) and the diminutive D. porrectus (syn. Harrisella porrecta) are embedded within
Dendrophylax, and merely represent extremes in flower size and adaptations to different
sizes of pollinators (Fig. 3). Most species of Dendrophylax are endemic to the Caribbean island of
Hispaniola (Haiti and the Dominican Republic) and bear small, relatively inconspicuous greenish to
white flowers. Most are rarely collected by botanists and are poorly known. Botanical exploration of
the mountains of the Dominican Republic and Cuba is likely to reveal undescribed species.
Dendrophylax porrectus is the most wide-ranging species and can be locally abundant on slender twigs
of a wide range of host trees, ranging from the humid swamps of south Florida to seasonally dry
273
forests of Yucatan to dry scrub forests in the Dominican Republic. Although the floral morphology
of D. porrectus appears relatively uniform across its range, the plants vary geographically in size, root
thickness, and habitat preference. DNA data reveal substantial sequence divergence among
populations, and we suspect that there may be cryptic species within D. porrectus that have gone
unrecognized by botanists because both floral and vegetative morphology are so reduced.
Fig. 3 One of 162 shortest evolutionary trees resulting from a heuristic parsimony search of the combined data matrix
for three gene regions (ITS, trnL-F, and matK).
LITERATURE CITED:
Ackerman, J.D. 1995. An Orchid Flora of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. New York Botanical Garden, New York.
Nir, M.A. 2000. Orchidaceae Antillanae. DAG Media, New York.
Whitten, M.W., N.H. Williams, and M.W. Chase. 2000. Subtribal and generic relationships of Maxillarieae (Orchidaceae)
with emphasis on Stanhopeinae: combined molecular evidence. American Journal of Botany 87:1842–57.
Barbara Carlsward, PhD., Department of Biological Sciences, Eastern Illinois University, 600 Lincoln Avenue, Charleston,
IL 61920 email: bscarlsward@eiu.edu
Mark Whitten, PhD., Senior Biological Scientist, 385 Dickinson Hall, Florida Museum of Natural History, University of
Florida, P.O. Box 117800, Gainesville, FL 32611-7800 email: whitten@flmnh.ufl.edu; Photographs by Mark Whitten
Note: For readers who want a simplified explanation of cladistics (how these trees are made and how to read them), see
Carlsward: Using the trees to see the forest. The Orchid Review. 111(no. 1251): 166-167, 174, & 178) 2003..
274
Lamont & Stalter: ORCHIDS OF ATLANTIC COAST BARRIER ISLANDS
ORCHIDS OF ATLANTIC COAST BARRIER ISLANDS

Eric E. Lamont & Richard Stalter
Reprinted with permission from Journal of the Torrey Botanical Society 134: 540-551. 2007.
Orchid populations of the Middle Atlantic States are generally not noted as occurring on
Atlantic coast barrier islands. Of the 51 orchid species of the Middle Atlantic States discussed by
Gupton and Swope (1986) only one, Spiranthes vernalis, is reported as occurring on "sandy beaches".
Correll (1950) noted that barrier islands provide suitable habitat for several species of Spiranthes,
including S. cernua on "beach sand dunes", S. gracilis on "beaches along the coast", S. praecox on the
upper edges of "coastal salt marshes", and S. vernalis on "sandy beaches and dune areas" and "coastal
salt marshes"; however, Correll (1950) reported no other orchid species from barrier island habitats.
Luer (1975), (1981), Keenan (1998), Brown (2004), and Fowler (2005) included no specific reference
to barrier island habitats when discussing habitat preferences of orchid species of the Middle
Atlantic States. Duncan and Duncan (1987) included Corallorhiza wisteriana, Cypripedium acaule, and
Epidendrum conopseum in their discussion of Seaside Plants of the Gulf and Atlantic Coasts but did not
specifically mention barrier islands. Flora of North America (FNA 2002) also made no specific
reference to orchid occurrences on Atlantic coast barrier islands but did note that Spiranthes cernua, S.
lacera var. gracilis, and S. vernalis occurred on "dunes" and in "dune hollows". Radford et al. (1968) and
Gleason and Cronquist (1991) made no reference to barrier island habitats when discussing orchid
species within their respective manuals.
During the past 25 years we have been conducting floristic inventories of Atlantic coast
barrier islands from North Carolina to New York, and during the course of these studies we have
observed and documented the occurrence of 17 orchid species. We have accumulated extensive data
on specific localities of extant orchid populations, fluctuations in population size from year to year,
flowering dates, and habitat preferences. Although not the focus of this paper, we also have noted
potential negative impacts on some populations. In addition to our field studies, we have conducted
literature and herbarium searches of historical orchid populations and we have compiled data on
orchid populations recently reported by other field botanists but not observed by us.
This paper presents the results of our 25 year study of the orchid flora of Atlantic coast
barrier islands from North Carolina to New York. No previous publication has presented a
comprehensive study of the current status of orchids occurring on these barrier islands.
MATERIALS AND METHODS

Floristic inventories of Atlantic coast barrier islands from North Carolina to New York were
conducted from 1982 to present. Initially, the purpose of these inventories was to document with
voucher collections all vascular plant species on major barrier islands and publish the results in
botanical journals. To date, six studies have been published, one is in preparation for publication,
and another is in plant collection and identification stages.
We initiated our field work in 1982 with a study of the vascular flora of Fire Island, New
York (Stalter et al. 1986). In 1985, we extended our survey of New York barrier islands by trying to
275
relocate historical orchid populations on Coney Island, Jones Island, Long Beach Island, Rockaway
Beach, and Tiana Beach (Lamont et al. 1988, Lamont 1996, 2000). In 1986, we began field studies of
selected barrier islands along the Virginia coast, including Assateague Island (Stalter and Lamont
1990), Fisherman Island (Stalter and Lamont 2000a), and False Cape (Stalter et al. 1990, Lamont and
Stalter in prep.). Floristic studies of 19 other Virginia barrier and marsh islands (McCaffrey and
Dueser 1990, Klotz 1986, Clovis 1968, and Harvill 1965) were consulted and reports of orchid
populations have been included in Appendix 1. In 1989, we initiated a 10 year floristic study of the
Outer Banks of North Carolina, including Bodie Island, Bogue Banks, Core Banks, Hatteras Island,
Ocracoke Island, Pea Island, Portsmouth Island, and Shackleford Banks (Stalter and Lamont 1997,
1999). Our field studies of New Jersey barrier islands have been restricted to Little Beach Island
(Stalter 1994) and Sandy Hook (Stalter and Lamont 2000b); however, historical reports of orchid
populations in the published literature (Stone 1910, Small and Martin 1958, Martin 1959) and recent
reports from New Jersey field botanists have been included in Appendix 1. In 2006, we initiated
floristic studies of Delaware barrier islands, including Fenwick Island and the islands comprising
Delaware Seashore State Park. We have not conducted any field studies of Maryland's barrier islands
because they have been extensively investigated by Hill (1986), Higgins et al. (1971), Reed (1964),
Tatnall (1946), and current local and state botanists; however, reports of orchid populations from
these sources have been incorporated into Appendix 1.
Because most orchid species are rare to uncommon on Atlantic coast barrier islands, we
collected voucher specimens only from large populations usually consisting of 100 or more
individuals, although sometimes we collected vouchers from populations of approximately 25
individuals. From smaller populations we either collected one or two individual flowers from an
inflorescence or documented the occurrence with photographs. Voucher specimens have been
deposited at National Park Service herbaria at each study site, with some duplicates of Spiranthes
deposited at the New York State Museum (NYS) in Albany.
During the course of our barrier island studies, we have been informed of additional orchid
populations observed and reported by other botanists, but not verified by us. Some of these reports
were based upon recent observations and collections by local and/or state field botanists; other
reports were historical, based upon publications and collections from the late 1800s to 1980. We
have attempted to verify all vouchered reports by examining the original collections and we have
cautiously accepted some of the unvouchered reports. In both cases, we have clearly distinguished in
Appendix 1 our own personal observations and collections from those of others. Some reports of
barrier island orchids published by others have been based upon misidentifications and other
published reports are in our opinion questionable; we have included and briefly discussed these
incorrect and questionable published reports in Appendix 2.
Appendix 1 presents a summary of the orchid species observed by us on mid-Atlantic coast

barrier islands. Species have been arranged alphabetically by genus, followed by common name(s).
Location data are presented alphabetically by state, county, name of barrier island, and
owner/manager of each site. Habitat data, population size, and blooming period are based upon our
own personal observations. Each species entry concludes with miscellaneous comments including
but not limited to reports of orchid populations from barrier islands not surveyed by us, pertinent
voucher collections examined by us, extirpated populations, and threats to specific populations.
276
Appendix 2 presents a summary of the orchid species not observed by us but reported by
others from mid-Atlantic coast barrier islands. Species have been arranged alphabetically by genus
followed by common name. Location data follows the same sequence as in Appendix 1. The source
of each report is given followed by our comments on the status of the species at the reported
locality.
Atlantic coast barrier islands change continuously in shape and location, a feature that serves
to distinguish these landforms from most others (Ehrenfeld 1990). The majority of study sites
included in our survey are currently "island" landforms, but they may have been connected to a
mainland in the past; conversely, other study sites are currently contiguous with a mainland, but may
have been islands in the past.
Throughout this paper, nomenclature follows the Orchidaceae treatment in Flora of North
America (FNA 2002), herbarium abbreviations follow Holmgren et al. (1990), and rarity status of
species follows Weakley (2007) and Young (2007). For a detailed description of each study site, see
the original sources cited above in the Methods section.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Seventeen orchid species have been documented by us from Atlantic coast barrier islands
from North Carolina to New York (Appendix 1). Spiranthes vernalis is the most common species,
found at seven localities; Spiranthes cernua was found at five localities; Cypripedium acaule and Listera
australis at four; Platanthera cristata, Pogonia ophioglossoides, and Spiranthes odorata at three; Malaxis spicata,
Spiranthes praecox, and Tipularia discolor at two; and Calopogon tuberosus, Corallorhiza wisteriana, Epipactis
helleborine, Goodyera pubescens, Habenaria repens, Spiranthes lacera var. gracilis, and S. laciniata were each at
one locality.
In addition to our own personal observations, Spiranthes vernalis has been reported from 13
other barrier island localities not verified by us; Spiranthes cernua from eight other localities; Calopogon
tuberosus and Pogonia ophioglossoides from five other localities; Cypripedium acaule, Platanthera cristata, and
Spiranthes lacera var. gracilis from two other localities; and Corallorhiza wisteriana, Goodyera pubescens,
Listera australis, and Spiranthes praecox from one other locality (Appendix 1). We have not encountered
any additional reports of Epipactis helleborine, Habenaria repens, Malaxis spicata, Spiranthes laciniata, S.
odorata, and Tipularia discolor from mid-Atlantic coast barrier islands.
Orchid species occurring as large populations include Platanthera cristata, Spiranthes cernua, S.
praecox, S. vernalis, and Tipularia discolor. One population of Platanthera cristata occurring in a moist
maritime woodland dominated by Pinus taeda on Assateague Island, Virginia, consists of thousands
of individuals; this population is dominated by individuals with pale yellow flowers and may
represent forma straminea (Brown et al. 1995). Spiranthes cernua, S. praecox, and S. vernalis are each
represented by thousands of widely scattered colonies and individuals in moist to wet sandy soils
along roadsides and adjacent swales especially on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Spiranthes
praecox becomes rare on barrier islands north of Chesapeake Bay, whereas S. cernua and S. vernalis
remain relatively common. More than a thousand individuals of Tipularia discolor occur in a mature,
maritime deciduous forest dominated by Fagus grandifolia and Quercus spp. at Kitty Hawk Woods on
277
Bodie Island, North Carolina; in a small study plot of approximately 0.5 ha., we counted 434
individual plants in March 2000.
Four orchid species occur in moderately large populations but have limited distributions.
Fifty to more than 100 individuals of Calopogon tuberosus, Cypripedium acaule, and Pogonia ophioglossoides
consistently flower at a few barrier island localities in North Carolina and Virginia. Although
Epipactis helleborine is a relatively recent introduction to barrier and coastal islands in and near New
York Harbor, more than 100 individuals were counted at Sandy Hook, New Jersey.
Orchid species that are rare on mid-Atlantic coast barrier islands include Corallorhiza
wisteriana, Goodyera pubescens, Habenaria repens, Listera australis, Malaxis spicata, Spiranthes lacera var.
gracilis, S. laciniata, and S. odorata. Each of these species is represented by only a few populations
and/or a few individuals.
Several regions of high orchid diversity can be identified on barrier islands from North
Carolina to New York. The region between and including Nags Head Woods and Kitty Hawk
Woods on Bodie Island, North Carolina, provides suitable habitat for a relatively large number of
orchid species, including Cypripedium acaule, Goodyera pubescens, Habenaria repens, Listera australis,
Platanthera cristata, Pogonia ophioglossoides, Spiranthes odorata, S. praecox, and Tipularia discolor. False Cape,
Virginia, is another orchid "hot spot", providing suitable habitat for Calopogon tuberosus, Cypripedium
acaule, Goodyera pubescens, Listera australis, Platanthera cristata, Pogonia ophioglossoides, Spiranthes odorata, S.
praecox, and S. vernalis. Assateague Island, Virginia, supports populations of Cypripedium acaule, Listera
australis, Platanthera cristata, Spiranthes cernua, and S. vernalis. These orchid hot spots exist because of
the high diversity of habitats present at these localities. Few barrier islands north of Assateague
Island provide the diversity of habitats required to support large numbers of orchid species.
The most abundant habitat available to orchid species on mid-Atlantic coast barrier islands
includes open uplands and wetlands with sandy soils dominated by grasses, sedges, rushes, and
forbs. Dry maritime dunes, freshwater interdunal swales, shallow freshwater marshes, and roadsides
provide suitable habitat for populations of Calopogon tuberosus, Cypripedium acaule, Habenaria repens,
Pogonia ophioglossoides, Spiranthes cernua, S. lacera var. gracilis, S. laciniata, S. praecox, and S. vernalis. Several
related yet distinguishable maritime forests cover the more stable portions of barrier islands (Bellis
1995) and provide habitat for populations of Corallorhiza wisteriana, Cypripedium acaule, Goodyera
pubescens, Listera australis, Malaxis spicata, Platanthera cristata, and Tipularia discolor.
Three orchid species have been reliably reported by others from mid-Atlantic coast barrier
islands, but have not been observed by us in the field (Appendix 2). In 1976, Malaxis unifolia was
collected from Nags Head Woods on Bodie Island, North Carolina. We examined the herbarium
collection and searched Nags Head Woods in vain for this diminutive orchid (Stalter and Lamont
1997); in our opinion, it is probable that M. unifolia still persists at this locality because suitable
habitat is abundant. Stone (1910) reported Liparis loeselii and Platanthera lacera from Long Beach
Island, New Jersey. We do not question the validity of these reports, although we have not seen any
voucher specimens. In our opinion, it is likely that these populations have been extirpated due to
habitat destruction.
278
Four orchid species have been reported by others from mid-Atlantic coast barrier islands,
based upon misidentifications and misinterpretation of primary sources (Appendix 2). Calopogon
pallidus has been reported from False Cape, Virginia, by Knepper et al. (1991), Wright (1991), and
Virginia Natural Heritage Program (fide Loomis, pers. comm.), based upon the misidentification of
a herbarium collection of Calopogon tuberosus. Krings (2002) reported Platanthera ciliaris as a "new
addition to the Outer Banks flora", based upon the misidentification of a herbarium collection of
Platanthera cristata. Wright (1991) reported Liparis liliifolia from False Cape, Virginia, but in our
opinion this unvouchered report is based upon a misinterpretation of a primary source. Lewis (1917)
reported Spiranthes ovalis from Shackleford Banks, North Carolina, but in our opinion this
unvouchered report is unlikely and is probably based upon a misidentification of another species of
Spiranthes.
In conclusion, during the course of our investigations we have observed an overall decline in
the number of orchid populations on barrier islands of the Middle Atlantic States. This decline is
largely the result of habitat destruction by humans for development projects. The barrier islands of
New Jersey have been most severely impacted resulting in the extirpation of many orchid
populations, whereas the barrier islands of Virginia and North Carolina have been less disturbed by
human activities and in some regions they remain relatively pristine (e.g., False Cape, Virginia). The
federal government's management of ‗national seashores‘ has been the single most significant factor
in preserving the ecological integrity of barrier islands of the Middle Atlantic States, and these
protected regions often function as refugia for many orchid species.
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Bellis, V.J. 1995. Ecology of maritime forests of the southern Atlantic coast: A community profile. Biological Report No.
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Brackley, F.E. 1985. The orchids of New Hampshire. Rhodora 87: 1- 117.
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New York State. 2nd ed. (Draft for review). New York Natural Heritage Program, New York State Dept.
Environmental Conservation, Albany, N.Y.
Ehrenfeld, J.G. 1990. Dynamics and processes of barrier island vegetation. Rev. Aquatic Sci. 2: 437-80.
Fernald, M.L. 1935. Midsummer vascular plants of southeastern Virginia. Rhodora 37: 378-413, 423-54.
_____. 1936. Plants from the outer coastal plain of Virginia. Rhodora 38: 376-404, 414-52.
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Fowler, J.A. 2005. Wild Orchids of South Carolina, a Popular Natural History. Univ. South Carolina Press, Columbia, S.C.
Gleason, H.A. and A. Cronquist. 1991. Manual of the Vascular Plants of the Northeastern United States and Adjacent Canada. 2nd
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Gupton, O.W. and F.C. Swope. 1986. Wild Orchids of the Middle Atlantic States. Univ. Tennessee Press, Knoxville, Tenn.
Harvill, A.M., Jr. 1965. The vegetation of Parramore Island, Virginia. Castanea 30: 226-28.
Higgins, E.A.T., R.D. Rappleye, and R.G. Brown. 1971. The flora and ecology of Assateague Island. Univ. Maryland
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Hill, S.R. 1986. An annotated checklist of the vascular flora of Assateague Island (Maryland and Virginia). Castanea 51:
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Holmgren, P.K., N.H. Holmgren, and L.C. Barnett [eds.]. 1990. Index Herbariorum. Part I: The herbaria of the world,
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Homoya, M.A. 1993. Orchids of Indiana. Indiana Acad. Sci. Indiana Univ. Press, Bloomington & Indianapolis, Ind.
Keenan, P.E. 1998. Wild Orchids Across North America. Timber Press, Portland, Ore.
Klotz, L.H. 1986. The vascular flora of Wallops Island and Wallops mainland, Virginia. Castanea 51: 306-26.
Knepper, D.A., J.B. Wright, and L.J. Musselman. 1991. The phytogeographical significance of some rare plants at Back
Bay, pp. 215-21, In Marshall, H. G. and M. D. Norman [eds.], Proc. Back Bay Ecol. Symposium. Virginia Beach,
Va.
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Herbarium (CAHA). J. North Carolina Acad. Sci. 118: 145-55.
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_____. 1995. Fanny Mulford's orchid collections from the late 1890s. Long Island Bot. Soc. Newsl. 5: 7-9.
_____. 1996. Atlas of the orchids of Long Island, New York. Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 123: 157-66.
_____. Historical orchid collections from Brooklyn, New York. N. Amer. Native Orchid J. 6: 93-102.
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81.
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Chapel Hill, N.C.
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83-96.
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_____. 1997. Flora of North Carolina's Outer Banks, Ocracoke Island to Virginia. J. Torrey Bot. Soc. 124: 71-88.
_____. 1999. Vascular flora of Cape Lookout National Seashore and Bogue Banks, North Carolina. J. Elisha Mitchell Sci.
Soc. 115: 213-35.
_____. 2000a. Vascular flora of Fisherman Island, Virginia. J. Torrey Bot. Soc. 127: 324-32.
_____. 2000b. Vascular flora of Sandy Hook, New Jersey. Bartonia 60: 105-16.
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vegetation of False Cape State Park, Virginia. Bull. South Carolina Acad. Sci. 52: 93 [abstract].
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75.
Stone, W. 1910 [1912]. The plants of southern New Jersey with especial reference to the flora of the Pine Barrens and
the geographic distribution of the species. Ann. Rep. New Jersey State Mus. 1910 (pt. 2): 21-828.
Swink, F.A. 1966. Orchids of the Indiana Dune region. Amer. Orchid Soc. Bull. 35: 706-10.
Tatnall, R.R. 1946. Flora of Delaware and the Eastern Shore, an annotated list of the ferns and flowering plants of the peninsula of
Delaware, Maryland and Virginia. Soc. Nat. Hist, of Delaware, Wilmington, Del.
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Weakley, A.S. 2007. Flora of the Carolinas, Virginia, Georgia, and surrounding areas. Working draft of 11 January 2007. Univ.
North Carolina Herbarium, Chapel Hill. Retrieved 9 July 2007.
Wright, J.B. 1991. A catalog of the vascular flora of the Back Bay watershed, n 257-264. In Marshall, H. G. and M. D.
Norman [eds.], Proc. Back Bay Ecol. Symposium. Virginia Beach, Va.
Young, S.M. 2007. New York Rare Plant Status Lists. New York Natural Heritage Program, Albany, N.Y.
Eric E. Lamont, Honorary Research Associate, Institute of Systematic Botany, The New York
Botanical Garden, Bronx, NY 10458
Richard Stalter, Department of Biological Sciences, St. John's University, Jamaica, NY 11439
We sincerely appreciate and express thanks to the many individuals acknowledged throughout this
paper for assistance in the field, arranging for herbarium loans, checking herbarium label data, and
sharing localities of orchid populations not observed by us in the field.
Author for correspondence: E-mail: elamont@optonline.net
APPENDIX 1.
Annotated checklist of orchids observed by Lamont and Stalter on Atlantic coast barrier islands
from North Carolina to New York
Calopogon tuberosus (L.) B.S.P. POPULATION SIZE: Few individuals; 11 flowering
Common Grass-pink individuals observed in 1994, none in 1997.
LOCATION: Virginia, City of Virginia Beach BLOOMING PERIOD: April to May.
(formerly Princess Anne Co.), False Cape, Back Bay COMMENTS: Apparently, Corallorhiza wisteriana was
National Wildlife Refuge. first reported from Shackleford Banks by Shufun Au
HABITAT: Wet, sandy, open depressions dominated (Au 1974). Au also collected this species in 1968 from
by sedges, rushes, and forbs. Harkers Island, Carteret Co., NC (voucher at DUKE)
POPULATION SIZE: Approx. 50 to 60 flowering and J. H. Carter collected it in 1972 from Wrightsville
individuals. Beach, New Hanover Co., NC (voucher at WNC). Luer
BLOOMING PERIOD: May to June, sometimes later. (1975) considered C. wisteriana to be local and sporadic
COMMENTS: Stone (1910) reported three populations throughout its range, "being found abundantly one year
of C. tuberosus from Long Beach Island, Ocean Co., NJ, and scarcely at all the next". Listed as rare ("Watch
in the vicinity of North Beach Haven, Spray Beach, and List") in NC (Weakley 2007).
Surf City; we are unaware of any recent efforts to
relocate these occurrences. Lamont (1996) cited an Cypripedium acaule Ait.
herbarium collection [3 Jul 1918, Taylor, BKL] of this Pink Lady's-slipper, Pink Moccasin-flower
species from Tiana Beach, Suffolk Co., NY; extensive LOCATIONS: New York, Suffolk Co., Fire Island,
attempts by Lamont et al. (1988) to relocate this Fire Island National Seashore. North Carolina, Dare
population were unsuccessful. In 1934 and 1935, Co., Bodie Island, Nags Head Woods Ecological
Fernald et al. collected C tuberosus from three sites just Preserve. Virginia, Accomack Co., Assateague Island,
north of Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge, VA: south Assateague Island National Wildlife Refuge; City of
of Rudee Inlet [Fernald & Long 3874, HUH], south of Virginia Beach (formerly Princess Anne Co.), False
Dam Neck, [Fernald, Griscom & Long 4614, HUH], Cape, False Cape State Park.
and in swales behind the dunes at Sandbridge [Fernald, HABITAT: In NC and VA, in dry sands on old stable
Griscom & Long 4615, HUH]. Goldman (pers. comm.) dunes in maritime forests dominated by Pinus taeda;
recently collected C. tuberosus from "the False rarely, as at False Cape State Park, in dry sands under
Cape/Back Bay area" (see additional discussion under Quercus virginiana. In NY, in dry sands of an open swale
C. pallidus in Appendix 2). Listed as rare ("Watch List") between the primary and secondary dunes.
in VA (Weakley 2007). POPULATION SIZE: Usually between 30 to 50
widely scattered individuals at Bodie Island and False
Corallorhiza wisteriana Conrad Cape, approx. 10 individuals at Assateague Island, and
Spring Coralroot, Wister's Coralroot 3 individuals at Fire Island.
LOCATION: North Carolina, Carteret Co., BLOOMING PERIOD: Late April and May in NC &
Shackleford Banks, Cape Lookout National Seashore. VA, May and June in NY.
HABITAT: Low, moist, shady, maritime woodland. COMMENTS: McAvoy (pers. comm.) reported C.
acaule in 2000 from "sandy pine woods" on barrier
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islands in Sussex Co., DE. Small and Martin (1958) approx. 15 flowering individuals observed in the early
reported C. acaule from Island Beach State Park, to mid-1990s.
Ocean Co., NJ, but Anderson and Kelly (pers. comm.) BLOOMING PERIOD: May to June, sometimes later.
were unable to relocate this population in 1997. The COMMENTS: Near northern limit of its range in Dare
population at Fire Island, NY, has not been observed Co., NC (FNA 2002). Listed as rare ("Watch List") in
since the early 1990s and is considered extirpated, NC (Weakley 2007).
probably the result of selective browsing by white-tailed
deer (Odocoileus virginianus). Listera australis Lindl.
Southern Twayblade
Epipactis helleborine (L.) Crantz LOCATIONS: North Carolina, Dare Co., Bodie
Broad-leaved Helleborine Island, Kitty Hawk Woods and Nags Head Woods
LOCATION: New Jersey, Monmouth Co., Sandy Ecological Preserve. Virginia, Accomack Co.,
Hook, Gateway National Recreation Area. Assateague Island, Assateague Island National Wildlife
HABITAT: Along disturbed edges of sandy paths in Refuge); City of Virginia Beach (formerly Princess
successional woodlands dominated by Prunus serotina. Anne Co.), False Cape, False Cape State Park.
POPULATION SIZE: More than 100 individuals and HABITAT: In dense shade and rich humus of low
spreading. moist maritime forests. At the NC sites the maritime
BLOOMING PERIOD: Late June to early August. forest is dominated by deciduous species including
COMMENTS: Also occurs at nearby Ellis Island in Quercus spp., Carya glabra and Liquidambar styraciflua; at
New York Harbor (Stalter and Scotto 1999). Although the VA sites the maritime forest is dominated by Pinus
several authors have described E. helleborine as an taeda and Quercus spp.
aggressive weed (Brackley 1985, Soper and Murray POPULATION SIZE: All four populations are
1985, Lamont 1994, Chapman 1997, Brown 2003), it relatively small, ranging from 6 to approx. 24
has yet to exhibit such aggressiveness on Atlantic coast individuals. Several scattered colonies occur within
barrier islands. Homoya (1993) reported E. helleborine Nags Head Woods.
from "sandy, acidic dune forests bordering Lake BLOOMING PERIOD: Late April to May.
Michigan" (also see Swink 1966). Introduced from COMMENTS: Gifford collected a voucher specimen
Eurasia (Luer 1975). [June 1976, Gifford, CAHA] of L. australis from
Buxton Woods, Hatteras Island (Cape Hatteras
Goodyera pubescens (Willd.) R. Br. National Seashore), Dare Co., NC; extensive attempts
Downy Rattlesnake-plantain, Rattlesnake Orchid by Stalter and Lamont (1997) to relocate this
LOCATION: Virginia, City of Virginia Beach population were unsuccessful. The small size and
(formerly Princess Anne Co.), False Cape, False Cape inconspicuous nature of this orchid makes it
State Park. exceedingly difficult to find. Listed as rare ("Watch
HABITAT: Dry sands on old stable dunes in maritime List") in NC (Weakley 2007).
pine-oak forest.
POPULATION SIZE: 5 widely scattered individuals Malaxis spicata Swartz.
observed in 1990. Florida Adder's-mouth
BLOOMING PERIOD: Early July to mid-August. LOCATIONS: North Carolina, Carteret Co., Bogue
COMMENTS: Reported by Brown (1957) as "rare Banks, Theodore Roosevelt State Natural Area; Dare
under beech trees in Nags Head Woods [Bodie Island, Co., Hatteras Island, Buxton Woods, Cape Hatteras
Dare Co., NC], identification based upon foliage only", National Seashore.
and later collected from the same locality by Gifford [6 HABITAT: Low, moist (very wet some years) maritime
Aug 1976, Gifford, CAHA 655]. Extensive attempts by swamp forest, with Acer rubrum, Quercus laurifolia, Pinus
Stalter and Lamont (1997) to relocate this population taeda, Saururus cernuus, Pilea fontana, and Boehmeria
were unsuccessful. cylindrica.
POPULATION SIZE: Large population at Buxton
Habenaria repens Nutt. Woods, some years approximately 100 individuals;
Water-spider Orchid, Floating Orchid usually less than 10 individuals at the Bogue Banks
LOCATION: North Carolina, Dare Co., Bodie Island, locality.
south end of Jockey's Ridge State Park. BLOOMING PERIOD: July to mid-August.
HABITAT: Wet, sandy, open depression dominated by COMMENTS: Difficult to find due to the
sedges, rushes, and forbes, including Pogonia inconspicuous greenish brown flowers and apparent
ophioglossoides. preference for inaccessible habitats. Listed as rare
POPULATION SIZE: Varies from year to year, ("Active List") in NC (Weakley 2007).
apparently in response to water level fluctuations;
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Platanthera cristata (Michx.) Lindl. Stone (1910) and Small and Martin (1958) reported P.
Crested Fringed Orchid, Orange-crested Orchid ophioglossoides from Island Beach State Park, Ocean
LOCATIONS: North Carolina, Dare Co., Bodie Co., NJ, but Anderson and Kelly (pers. comm.) were
Island, Nags Head Woods Ecological Preserve. unable to relocate this population in 1997. Stone (1910)
Virginia, Accomack Co., Assateague Island, Assateague also reported P. ophioglossoides from Long Beach Island,
Island National Wildlife Refuge; City of Virginia Beach Ocean Co., NJ, in the vicinity of North Beach Haven
(formerly Princess Anne Co.), False Cape, False Cape and Spray Beach; we are unaware of any recent efforts
State Park near the VA/NC border. to relocate these occurrences. Lamont (1996) cited an
HABITAT: Open areas (50 to 70% canopy cover) of herbarium collection [13 Jul 1918, Taylor, BKL] of this
sandy, moist maritime woodlands dominated by Pinus species from Tiana Beach, Suffolk Co., NY; extensive
taeda with scattered Liquidambar styraciflua and Quercus attempts by Lamont et al. (1988) to relocate this
laurifolia, and Chasmanthium laxum as a dominant population were unsuccessful. During the mid- 1990s,
groundcover. increased groundwater use by seasonal residents at Fire
POPULATION SIZE: One population at Nags Head Island Pines, NY, contributed to a decrease in the local
Woods consisting of approx. 20 to 50+ individuals; water table resulting in the succession of Smoky
two populations at Assateague Island, the northern one Hollow Bog into a shrubland community; in 2000, no
consisting of 1000s of individuals, the southern usually P. ophioglossoides was found at the site. Listed as rare
with 50 to 100 individuals; one population at False ("Watch List") in VA (Weakley 2007).
Cape consisting of approx. 50 individuals.
BLOOMING PERIOD: July to August. Spiranthes cernua (L.) Rich.
COMMENTS: Reported by Hill (1986) from Nodding Ladies'-tresses
Assateague Island, MD; Lea (pers. comm.) relocated LOCATIONS: Delaware, Sussex Co., Fenwick Island,
this population in 1997 and reported approx. 30-40 Fenwick Island State Park. New York, Suffolk Co., Fire
plants, but in 2000 no plants appeared. In 1934, a Island, Sailor's Haven and Watch Hill/ Bayberry Dunes
voucher specimen of P. cristata was collected from Brier at Fire Island National Seashore. North Carolina, Dare
Island, Cape May Co., NJ (5 Aug 1934, Tullner, PH); Co., Hatteras Island, roadside near Buxton. Virginia,
we are unaware of any recent efforts to relocate this Accomack Co., Assateague Island, Assateague Island
occurrence. The color of mature flowers is usually a National Wildlife Refuge.
deep orange (Luer 1975, FNA 2002), but the large HABITAT: In DE, NC, and VA occurring along
population on Assateague Island, VA, is dominated by moist, sandy roadsides and adjacent swales in full sun;
individuals with pale yellow flowers. in NY occurring in moist, open, interdunal swales often
with Vaccinium macrocarpon and in a freshwater marsh.
Pogonia ophioglossoides (L.) Ker Gawler POPULATION SIZE: Usually 100s, some years 1000s,
Rose Pogonia, Snake's-mouth, Adder's-mouth of widely scattered individuals at each location.
LOCATIONS: North Carolina, Dare Co., Bodie BLOOMING PERIOD: Late August to October,
Island, south end of Jockey's Ridge State Park.Virginia, sometimes later in NC.
City of Virginia Beach (formerly Princess Anne Co.), COMMENTS: Spiranthes cernua becomes more
False Cape, False Cape State Park. New York, Suffolk common on barrier islands north of Chesapeake Bay.
Co., Fire Island, Smoky Hollow Bog at Fire Island McAvoy (pers. com.) reported it "on interdunal swales
Pines. on barrier islands in Sussex Co., DE on Rehoboth and
HABITAT: In NC and VA, occurring in wet, sandy, Indian River Bays." Hill (1986) reported several
open depressions with Sphagnum spp., sedges, rushes, occurrences on Assateague Island, Worcester Co., MD;
and forbes (including Habenaria repens at the NC site); in Lea (pers. comm.) relocated these populations in 1999.
NY, occurring in a coastal plain poor fen (Edinger et al. Reed (1964) reported S. cernua "on sand dunes" in the
2002) with sedges, rushes, and forbs, bordered by a vicinity of Ocean City, Fenwick Island, Worcester Co.,
shrubland community dominated by Clethra alnifolia, MD. Small and Martin (1958) reported S. cernua from
Rhododendron viscosum, Vaccinium corymbosum, and Pinus Island Beach State Park, Ocean Co., NJ, but Anderson
rigida. and Kelly (pers. comm.) were unable to relocate the
POPULATION SIZE: 100s of individuals at the NC population in 1997. Stone (1910) reported three
site, approx. 30 to 50 individuals at the VA site, and populations of S. cernua from Long Beach Island,
approx. 12 individuals at the NY site. Ocean Co., NJ, in the vicinity of Harvey Cedars, Ship
BLOOMING PERIOD: May to June in NC and VA; Bottom, and Spray Beach; we are unaware of any
June to early July in NY. recent efforts to relocate these occurrences. Stone
COMMENTS: In 1998, Lea (pers. comm.) reported a (1910) also reported S. cernua from Sandy Hook,
small population of P. ophioglossoides from Assateague Monmouth Co., NJ, but Stalter and Lamont (2000b)
Island, MD, not previously reported by Hill (1986). were unable to relocate the population.
283
Spiranthes lacera (Raf.) Raf. var. gracilis (Bigel.) Bay National Wildlife Refuge and False Cape State
Luer Park.
Southern Slender Ladies'-tresses HABITAT: In NC occurring in swampy areas often
LOCATION: New York, Suffolk Co., Fire Island, Fire dominated by Quercus laurifolia and Morella [Myrica]
Island National Seashore, east of Sailor's Haven. cerifera; in VA along the edges of Back Bay tidal creeks
HABITAT: Dry sands in full sun, bayside of interdunal and channels and in tidal marshes.
swale. POPULATION SIZE: In NC, scattered colonies each
POPULATION SIZE: One population, approx. 20+ with usually less than 20 individuals; in VA, several
individuals. dozen individuals concentrated in the region of Major
BLOOMING PERIOD: August to September, Cove and adjacent Big Ball Island, Horse Island Creek,
sometimes later. and Deal Creek.
COMMENTS: Reed (1964) cited an herbarium BLOOMING PERIOD: October to early November.
collection [1 Sept 1932, Redmond, DOV] of S. lacera COMMENTS: Spiranthes odorata is a southeastern
var. gracilis from Fenwick Island, Worcester Co., MD; coastal plain endemic (Weakley 2007) and is near the
we are unaware of any recent efforts to relocate this northern limit of its range at False Cape, VA. Listed as
occurrence. Lamont (1996) cited two herbarium rare ("Active List") in VA (Weakley 2007).
collections [26 Aug 1915, Bicknell, NY; 27 Aug 1916,
Pennell, NY] of this species from Long Beach, Nassau Spiranthes praecox (Walt.) S. Wats.
Co., NY; extensive attempts by Lamont et al. (1988) to Giant Ladies'-tresses, Grass-leaved Ladies'-tresses
relocate this population were unsuccessful. Correll LOCATIONS: North Carolina, Dare and Currituck
(1950) reported, "this species is found in . . . beaches Cos., Cape Hatteras National Seashore north to the VA
along the coast . . . near sea level along the Atlantic and line. Virginia, City of Virginia Beach (formerly Princess
Gulf coasts"; however, we have found this species to Anne Co.), False Cape, Back Bay National Wildlife
be very rare on Atlantic coast barrier islands from NC Refuge.
to NY. HABITAT: Disturbed, wet sands in full sun, thrives
along roadsides where periodic mowing discourages
Spiranthes laciniata (Small) Ames competition.
Lace-lipped Ladies'-tresses POPULATION SIZE: 1000s of individuals widely
LOCATION: North Carolina, Carteret Co., Cape distributed throughout the Outer Banks of NC; dozens
Lookout National Seashore. of individuals at False Cape, VA.
HABITAT: Shallow freshwater marsh (in standing BLOOMING PERIOD: June and July.
water at least part of the year) occurring with COMMENTS: Spiranthes praecox is a southeastern
graminoids and forbs, including a large population of coastal plain endemic (Weakley 2007) and is rare on
Sagittaria lancifolia var. media (= S. falcata). Atlantic coast barrier islands north of Chesapeake Bay.
POPULATION SIZE: One small population, less than McCaffrey and Dueser (1990) did not find S. praecox on
10 flowering individuals. any of Virginia's 16 barrier islands just north of
BLOOMING PERIOD: July (we have seen reports of Chesapeake Bay, nor did Stalter and Lamont (1990)
this species also flowering in NC during June and early find it on Assateague Island, VA. Hill (1986) found a
Aug, but from 1994 to 1997 we observed the single population on Assateague Island, MD, but Lea
population at Cape Lookout National Seashore (pers. comm.) could not relocate it in 1996 and 1997.
consistently flowering during July). Stalter and Lamont (pers. obs.) found no populations
COMMENTS: The voucher specimen of S. laciniata of S. praecox on Delaware barrier islands in 2006, and
collected by us (consisting of a few flowers and a leaf) Stone (1910) did not report it from any New Jersey
from Cape Lookout National Seashore was determined barrier islands.
by Charles Sheviak (NYS). Spiranthes laciniata can be
distinguished from S. vernalis, which it superficially Spiranthes vernalis Engelm. & Gray
resembles, by its capitate trichomes; it typically flowers Spring Ladies'-tresses
later than S. vernalis where the two are sympatric (FNA LOCATIONS: Delaware, Sussex Co., Delaware
2002). Listed as rare ("Active List") in NC (Weakley Seashore State Park; Fenwick Island, Fenwick Island
2007). State Park. New York, Suffolk Co., Fire Island, Fire
Island National Seashore. North Carolina, Carteret Co.,
Spiranthes odorata (Nutt.) Lindi. Bogue Banks, vicinity of Fort Macon State Park;
Fragrant Ladies'-tresses Currituck Co., Bodie Island, vicinity of Corolla Light.
LOCATIONS: North Carolina, Dare Co., Bodie Virginia, Accomack Co., Assateague Island, Assateague
Island, vicinity of Kitty Hawk. Virginia, City of Virginia Island National Wildlife Refuge; City of Virginia Beach
Beach (formerly Princess Anne Co.), False Cape, Back (formerly Princess Anne Co.), False Cape, Back Bay
284
National Wildlife Refuge; Northampton Co., populations were unsuccessful. Klotz (1986) and
Fisherman Island, Fisherman Island National Wildlife McAvoy (1996, pers. comm.) reported S. vernalis from
Refuge. Accomack Co., VA, in disturbed sands on Wallops
HABITAT: Disturbed, wet sands in full sun, thrives Island and moist sandy swales on Parramore Island,
along roadsides where periodic mowing discourages respectively. McCaffrey and Dueser (1990) reported it
competition; also in freshwater marshes and wet, from Hog Island and Smith Island, Northampton Co.,
interdunal swales with graminoids and forbs, often VA, based upon field work conducted in 1975; in 1996,
associated with Vaccinium macrocarpon. McAvoy (pers. comm.) relocated the Hog Island
POPULATION SIZE: Each locality usually comprised population in moist sandy soil at the island's north end.
of widespread, small populations or widely scattered Listed as rare ("Active List") in NY (Young 2007).
individuals; total number of individuals at each site
varies from 100s or 1000s to approx. 10. Tipularia discolor (Pursh) Nutt.
BLOOMING PERIOD: May (in NC and se VA) to Crane-fly Orchid
July (early August in NY). LOCATIONS: North Carolina, Dare Co., Bodie
COMMENTS: Spiranthes vernalis is the most common Island, Kitty Hawk Woods. Virginia, Northampton
orchid on Atlantic coast barrier islands from NC to Co., Fisherman Island, Fisherman Island National
NY. Hill (1986) reported it as "widespread" on Wildlife Refuge.
Assateague Island, MD, and Lea (pers. comm.) HABITAT: In NC occurring in the thin layer of humus
relocated it there in 1997 and reported it as "fairly of a mature, maritime deciduous forest dominated by
common". Reed (1964) cited an herbarium collection Quercus falcata, Q. nigra, and Fagus grandifolia with an
[11 Jul 1931, Redmond, DOV] of S. vernalis from understory of Ilex opaca and Cornus florida, on low, gently
"behind sand dunes, Ocean City", Fenwick Island, undulating, old, stable dunes; in VA occurring in thin
Worcester Co., MD; we are unaware of any recent humus of a mesic maritime woodland community
efforts to relocate this occurrence. Stone (1910) dominated by Prunus serotina with a few scattered
reported S. vernalis as being "rather frequent along the individuals of Ilex opaca.
coast strip" of NJ and listed specific occurrences from POPULATION SIZE: 1000s of individuals in Kitty
Atlantic Co. (Absecon Island, vicinity of Atlantic City Hawk Woods (in a small study plot of approx. 0.5 ha.,
and Longport), Cape May Co. (Five Mile Beach Island, we counted 434 individual plants in March 2000); one
vicinity of Wildwood, and Ocean City barrier island), small population of 7 individuals on Fisherman Island.
and Ocean Co. (Long Beach Island, vicinity of Beach BLOOMING PERIOD: Mid-July to August.
Haven Terrace and Spray Beach). In 2000, Snyder COMMENTS: Tipularia discolor readily colonizes
(pers. comm.) reported extant NJ populations of this woodlands in the early stages of development or
orchid "in wet to damp swales behind sand dunes" regrowth (Homoya 1993); such conditions are
from Atlantic Co. (Brigantine Island), Cape May Co. characteristic of the locality on Fisherman Island, VA.
("several locations on barrier islands"), and Ocean Co. It is notoriously difficult to locate flowering individuals
(Long Beach Island, vicinity of Holgate). Lamont of T. discolor, "so well does their leafless and
(1996, 2007) cited two herbarium collections [4 Aug inconspicuous flowering stalks blend into the sticks and
1911, McCallum, BKL; 27 Jul 1922, Bicknell, NY] of leaves and filtered sunbeams" (Luer 1975); the best
this species from Coney Island, Kings Co., NY and time of year to locate this species is during midwinter
Long Beach, Nassau Co., NY, respectively; extensive when the leaves are conspicuous.
attempts by Lamont et al. (1988) to relocate these
APPENDIX 2.
Annotated checklist of orchids not observed by Lamont and Stalter but reported by others from
Atlantic coast barrier islands from North Carolina to New York
Calopogon pallidus Chapman pallidus and deposited at Old Dominion University

Pale Grass-pink Herbarium, with the following label data: "Back Bay,
LOCATION: Virginia, City of Virginia Beach Black Gut, Sphagnum swamp, Sandbridge bog, 10 June
(formerly Princess Anne Co.), False Cape, Back Bay 1957, V. Bagley s.n., ODU 23508". [Note: although C.
National Wildlife Refuge. pallidus was reported from Back Bay National Wildlife
SOURCE OF REPORT: Knepper et al. (1991); Wright Refuge by Virginia Natural Heritage Program, Black
(1991); Virginia Natural Heritage Program (fide Gut is located just north of the refuge.]
Loomis, pers. comm.). These reports were based upon COMMENTS: The above cited Bagley collection at
a voucher specimen, originally identified as Calopogon ODU was examined by Douglas H. Goldman (HUH)
285
on 22 Jan 2004 and was reassigned to Calopogon Nassau Co., Long Beach; Queens Co., Rockaway
tuberosus. Goldman (pers. comm.) commented: "To date Beach.
[Aug 2006], I've been through 148 herbaria surveying SOURCE OF REPORTS: Stone (1910) reported one
Calopogon and I've never seen any C. pallidus specimens occurrence of L. loesellii from the southern tip of
from the False Cape/Back Bay area. I've been in that Absecon Island in the vicinity of Longport, and two
area before and the only species collected there was C. occurrences from Long Beach Island in the vicinity of
tuberosus, which is supposedly locally common in that Beach Haven Terrace and Surf City. Lamont (1995,
area. I have a plant list from False Cape State Park 1996) cited two herbarium collections [26 Aug 1900,
from 1/13/91 and it lists C. pallidus, but that is almost Bicknell, NY; 27 Jun 1896, Mulford, BKL] of this
surely incorrect (Calopogon, where species are sympatric, species from Long Beach, Nassau Co., and Rockaway
seem to be commonly misidentified). The 1992 Atlas of Beach, Queens Co., respectively.
the Virginia Flora does not list this species [C. pallidus] COMMENTS: We are unaware of any recent efforts to
as being from Virginia Beach City Co. or Chesapeake relocate the three NJ occurrences reported by Stone
City Co., only Isle of Wright Co. and Suffolk City Co.". (1910). Extensive attempts by Lamont et al. (1988) to
relocate the two NY occurrences were unsuccessful. In
Liparis liliifolia (L.) Rich, ex Lindi. our opinion, it is likely that these populations have
Lily-leaved Twayblade been extirpated due to habitat destruction.
LOCATION: Virginia, City of Virginia Beach
(formerly Princess Anne Co.), False Cape, False Cape Malaxis unifolia Michx.
State Park. Green Adder's-mouth
SOURCE OF REPORT: An unvouchered report by LOCATIONS: North Carolina, Dare Co., Bodie
Wright (1991) gleaned from an earlier report by Fernald Island, Nags Head Woods Ecological Preserve.
(1935). Virginia, City of Virginia Beach (formerly Princess
COMMENTS: Fernald (1935) began the fifth Anne Co.), False Cape, False Cape State Park.
paragraph of Midsummer Vascular Plants of Southeastern SOURCE OF REPORTS: A voucher specimen
Virginia by noting, "Farther south, in the damp collected from Nags Head Woods [12 May 1976,
depressions in the sand between Back Bay and the Gifford, CAHA], and an unvouchered report by
dunes of False Cape is another area of localized coastal Wright (1991) from False Cape State Park gleaned from
plain plants .. .". The next paragraph begins, "The rich an earlier report by Fernald (1935).
woodlands, as already noted by Mr. Griscom and me, COMMENTS: In our opinion, it is probable that M.
contain many species of the interior most unexpected unifolia still persists at Nags Head Woods, but extensive
on the outer edge of the coastal plain, close to the efforts to relocate it have been unsuccessful (Stalter and
Atlantic. Our browsings brought to light many other Lamont 1997). Fernald (1935) collected M. unifolia "in
plants of rich woods, several of them amazingly remote rich woods, Back Bay, Princess Anne Co., Virginia"
from their inland centers: Thelypteris hexagonoptera [Fernald, Griscom & Long 4622, HUH], but we cannot
(Michx.) Weath., Panicum Boscii Poir., Liparis liliifolia (L.) determine with certainty if the collection was from
Richard ... Yet in the woods near Little Creek it is less False Cape. The "Back Bay" citation by Fernald (1935)
than a mile from the sea." At first reading, it may may refer to the town of Back Bay located on the
appear that Fernald reported L. liliifolia from False adjacent mainland just west of Drum Point (see
Cape; however, Fernald's voucher collection confirms additional discussion under comments for Liparis
the locality as "Little Neck, Princess Anne Co., liliifolia). Fernald (1935) did specifically cite "False
Virginia" [Fernald, Griscom & Long 3869, HUH]. Cape" as the locality for many of his collections (e.g.,
Later, Fernald (1936) identified Little Neck as Pogonia ophioglossoides).
"projecting into Lynnhaven Bay", on the mainland just
west of Cape Henry. We therefore conclude that Platanthera ciliaris (L.) Lindi.
Wright's (1991) report of L. liliifolia from False Cape Yellow Fringed Orchid
State Park is based upon a Fernald et al. collection and LOCATION: North Carolina, Dare Co., Bodie Island,
report from the nearby mainland. Additionally, we have Nags Head Woods Ecological Preserve.
not seen a voucher specimen of L. liliifolia collected SOURCE OF REPORT: Krings (2002) reported
from False Cape State Park, nor does the park provide Platanthera ciliaris as a "new addition to the Outer Banks
suitable habitat to support a population of L. liliifolia. flora", based upon a voucher specimen [6 Aug 1976,
Gifford s.n., CAHA 657] deposited in the herbarium of
Liparis loesellii (L.) Rich. the National Park Service Cape Hatteras National
Loesel's Twayblade Seashore Unit, Manteo, NC. The specimen was
LOCATIONS: New Jersey, Atlantic Co., Absecon originally identified by Gifford as Habenaria ciliaris, and
Island; Ocean Co., Long Beach Island. New York,
286
in 2001 Krings annotated the collection and updated publication, following a list of "ten species [from
the name to Platanthera ciliaris. Shackleford Banks] which are stated by Small not to
COMMENTS: We examined the above cited Gifford occur north of South Carolina". The ten species are
collection and reassigned it to Platanthera cristata. listed alphabetically and annotated with range data.
Morphological differences in flower structure (e.g., spur Immediately following the list is an indented paragraph
length and rostellum shape) clearly distinguish P. cristata that begins with: "Spiranthes ovalis has also not been
from P. ciliaris (FNA 2002). A population of P. cristata reported from this State." Why wasn't S. ovalis included
was located at Nags Head Woods by Stalter and in the original list of new state records? Then on page
Lamont (1997). It is our opinion that P. ciliaris should 28, in the section of the publication that lists the plants
be excluded from the orchid flora of Atlantic coast of Shackleford Banks, Lewis includes a single taxon
barrier islands from NC to NY. under the Orchidaceae: "Spiranthes ovalis Lindl. (?);
(Gyrostachys parviflora (Chapm.) Small (?))." Lewis'
Platanthera lacera (Michx.) G. Don in R. Sweet question marks give the impression that he was
Ragged Fringed Orchid uncertain about his identification. On page 11, Lewis
LOCATION: New Jersey, Ocean Co., Long Beach states: "Exact determination of the plants found is of
Island. the highest importance in such an account as this. This
SOURCE OF REPORT: Stone (1910) reported two has been made possible by the kindness of Dr. John K.
occurrences of P. lacera from Long Beach Island in the Small, of the New York Botanical Garden, to whom
vicinity of Beach Haven Terrace and Holgate. specimens of practically all the plants listed were sent."
COMMENTS: We are unaware of any recent efforts to We could not find Lewis' Spiranthes collection at The
relocate these two occurrences. In our opinion it is New York Botanical Garden (NY), nor has it been
likely that these populations have been extirpated due deposited at the UNC- Chapel Hill herbarium (fide
to habitat destruction. McCormick, NCU). Extensive efforts by Stalter and
Lamont (1999) to relocate S. ovalis on Shackleford
Spiranthes ovalis Lindl. Banks were unsuccessful. Correll (1937), Radford et al.
Oval Ladies'-tresses (1964), and Weakley (2007) all reported a restricted
LOCATION: North Carolina, Carteret Co., Cape range for S. ovalis in NC, limited to the piedmont
Lookout National Seashore, Shackleford Banks. physiographic province. In our opinion, Lewis' (1917)
SOURCE OF REPORT: An unvouchered report by report is probably based upon a misidentification of
Lewis (1917). another species of Spiranthes. According to Sheviak and
COMMENTS: Lewis' (1917) report of Spiranthes ovalis Brown (FNA 2002), only S. ovalis var. erostellata Catling
from Shackleford Banks contains some peculiarities. occurs in NC and adjacent states.
Spiranthes ovalis is first mentioned on page 25 of his
287
Empiricist: THE FUTURE…
THE FUTURE…?
The Slow Empiricist
There are more and more tools being discovered to help the orchid enthusiast learn more
about native orchids. There are people working with DNA to unlock the lineage and discover family
connections. Some people are studying the mycorrhizal configurations and influence in the life of
the different species. People also study habitat, pollinators, and climate to learn more about our
native orchids.
These endeavors should bode well for survival and propagation of native species even as
civilization encroaches on habitat and pollution and all of the man made ills threaten some species
with extinction. I have many concerns about the carelessness of human activity that impacts not
only our native orchids but all aspects of the natural world.
Our penchant for wanting the newest, biggest, or best innovation of the ‗must-have‘
generation is frightening. Small homes in older desirable neighborhoods are bought up, torn down,
filling up landfills and new McMansions are installed in their place requiring more material to be
taken out of nature‘s supply to fulfill this ‗need‘. Even less affluent people have the remodeling bug;
they must have granite countertops or marble bathrooms. Tear out and replace!
The sad thing is in 10 or 15 years these ‗must-haves‘ will be old hat and dated in need of
replacement.
I could give lots of other examples but I think the intelligent reader already knows the
excesses people go to in order to look better, richer, or have more than their neighbors. Therefore, I
will concentrate on what this mindset might do in the native orchid world.
If people become successful in the quest to identify the mycorrhizal connections orchid
species rely upon to grow, will that enable us to grow these orchids in our gardens and greenhouses?
Will this lead to the hybridization of the natives to produce better plants? ….ones that are hardier or
have a longer blooming period. Or will some enterprising entrepreneur work to improve the look of
the flower? I can imagine Spiranthes with grossly exaggerated lips becoming the preferred Spiranthes
than its normal looking ancestors. I can see highway departments beautifying the roadsides with
these grotesque plants which have been bred to be hardier than their native ancestors and their
eventual domination in the habitat to the detriment of the original species. An example is highway
beautification projects where the hardier, larger Western ox-eye daisy has been introduced—on
eastern roadsides. It is overwhelming the less-showy Eastern ox-eye daisy and may soon dominate
and crowd out the native variety.
I have seen what orchid societies in this country have done with the exotic orchids they are
so enamored with. The Phalaenopsis orchids have lost their starry shapes to fulfill some arbiter‘s
288
vision that proclaims they should be as round as a saucer. Again, I won‘t belabor this treatise with
the fashion of color that breeders work for or the garishness that collectors look for to the detriment
of the less opulent native only to say it is a sad state of affairs.
Hopefully the future for native North American orchids will assure the enthusiast that the
integrity of the species won‘t be compromised to fashion or to other conceived human needs. I
hope we will be wise enough to use the new tools at hand to ensure the continued survival of the
orchids as nature intended not as man wants.
Your Slow Empiricist
289
BOOK R
Empiricist: TEVIEWS
HE FUTURE…
BOOK REVIEWS
ORCHIDS OF RUSSIA AND ADJACENT COUNTRIES (WITHIN THE BORDERS OF THE FORMER
USSR). Vakhrameeva, M.G., I.V. Tatarenko, T.I. Varlygina, G.K. Torosyan, and M.N. Zagulski.
2008. 97 color distribution maps. 233 photographs and watercolor plates. ix + 690 pp. 8vo. Cloth.
English. ISBN 978-3-906166-61-2. A.R.G. Gantner Verlag, Ruggell, Liechtenstein. €148.00.
Distributed by Koeltz Scientific Books, Koenigstein, Germany https://www.koeltz.com. Order
inquiries to Orchid Books (CAD 244.95; ca. USD 228.95), http://www.orchidsbooks.com/ or
directly to Koeltz.
The Orchids of Russia….. is a massive work that covers so much of Eastern Europe and
northern Asia and treats nearly all of the temperate terrestrial orchids to be found in that region. It is
the first complete modern scientific treatment of the orchid flora of the former USSR. The authors
studied orchids for more than 30 years, in different climatic zones—polar regions of the Cola
Peninsula, temperate zones in Central Russia, Central Ukraine, Baltic Sea coast territories,
Mediterranean regions in the Crimea and Caucasus, continental climate in Siberia and Central Asia,
and monsoonic climate in the Far East of Russia. The first several chapters consist of detailed essays
by the various authors entitled History and Contemporary Tendencies in Orchid Studies, Systematic
Review, Species Distribution, Ecology and Phytocoenology, Morphology, Ontogenesis, Rhythm of
Seasonal Development and Reproduction, Mycorrhiza, and Species Protection. The bulk of the
book is devoted to the species descriptions and they are very complete and easy to understand.
Throughout the book extensive use of references is made resulting in more than 70 pages in the
bibliography. A brief glossary contains not only the technical terms but several Anglicized Russian
terms that help in understanding the text. I now know that a Zapovendik is a highly protected area
under government control that prohibits economic activities or a ‗nature preserve‘.
A work such as this is written over many years and judging from the references contains data
through 2004. Several genera and species also found in North America are included, many of these
quite rare and found especially in Alaska. It is helpful to have more information on these species.
They include Calypso bulbosa, Cypripedium guttatum, C. yatabeanum, Dactylorhiza aristata, Goodyera repens,
Liparis loeselii, Listera cordata, Lysiella oligantha (Platanthera obtusata subsp. oligantha), Malaxis monophyllos,
Platanthera convallariifolia, P. dilatata, P. chorisiana, and P. tipuloides. Several of our non-native North
American species are native in this region and include treatments of Epipactis atrorubens, E. helleborine,
E. palustris, Listera ovata, and Zeuxine strateumatica. One of the most interesting treatments is in the use
of the genera Lysiella as mentioned above and Tulotis. The latter would include the eastern North
American Platanthera flava.
Many scientific works originally written in a language other than English often suffer greatly
in translation but not so with this book. The English is excellent and the proofreading exceptional.
Over 200 color photos of the species are complemented by numerous excellent watercolors and
supplemented by 18 line drawings and 93 distribution maps. It is here that the book has its only
significant fault. No key map is provided for either the geography or showing the several ecological
regions so often mentioned in the book. For those not intimately familiar with the many countries
of the former USSR and their locations this can be very confusing. If only one page were devoted to
a simple outline map showing the borders of these countries it would make the book much more
usable. Fortunately such a map is easily accessed on the Internet and I found an excellent one at
www.theodora.com. The names of a few of the countries are slightly different from those used in
the book, but easily understood. The map can be printed out and inserted within the book for
290
BOOK REVIEWS
reference. I highly recommend Orchids of Russia for all orchid professionals and enthusiasts with an
interest in the native orchids of this region. PMB
THE MARIE SELBY BOTANICAL GARDENS ILLUSTRATED DICTIONARY OF ORCHID GENERA

Peggy Alrich & Wesley Higgins; Bruce Hansen (Editor); Robert L. Dressler (Editor); Tom Sheehan
(Editor); John Atwood (Editor); Peter H. Raven (Foreword)
Cornell University Press. A Comstock Book $49.95, cloth, 2008, xxv + 482 pages, 8.5 x 11 in., full-
color illustrations throughout, ISBN: 978-0-8014-4737-2.
Published in association with Selby Botanical Gardens Press
It is not often that such a compendium of orchid information is assembled in so attractive a

user-friendly format. The The Marie Selby Botanical Gardens Illustrated Dictionary of Orchid Genera presents
its information in such a way that it becomes accessible to both the novice orchid enthusiasts and
dedicated professional alike. The authors and editors should be congratulated for their work. If paid
by the hour they would all be millionaires from this work alone!
From the Profile of the Orchid Family by David Benzing, which could easily stand alone as one
of the best examples of its kind, through the extensive Glossary that concludes the volume all of the
information is presented in such a way that is interesting, captivating, and informative. In several
places the book states specifically that this is an ongoing project and taxonomic opinions are subject
to revision. The Dictionary presents those of a suite of authors and editors ultimately reflecting the
opinion of the Orchid Identification Center of the Marie Selby Botanical Gardens through the end
of 2007. BUT that is what synonyms are for.
Because of the arrangement of the entries it is easy to find virtually any genus that has been
used for an orchid for well over 400 years! I have been pleasantly surprised with any number of
obscure genera that host a number of synonyms. The generic treatments are such that they are color
coded, and the codes are repeated on bottom of the pages throughout the generic treatments, which
makes is much easier to quickly determine if the generic name is in current usage, a synonym,
invalid, or even a fossil record. Individual flowers are shown for many of the genera. The taxonomic
treatment is interspersed with wonderful images from classic orchid works, many from early herbals.
Following the generic descriptions are a full list of taxonomists who have made generic descriptions
and revisions, a detailed list of publication abbreviations cited, and a concise presentation of the
International Rules of Botanical Nomenclature governing the valid publication of names. The latter is
especially appreciated and will be useful for many enthusiast who may not have knowledge of, or
access to, this information. An extensive list of the illustrations by page number is given and the
credits for the graphics grouped together on a single page. Although it would have been unwieldy to
credit each flower graphic, it would have been appreciated to credit some of the original art work for
the book. Artists often suffer this way. The final page is a request for feedback in the way of errors,
omissions, and new generic information.
A work such as massive as this is not without is problems, and although most are minor it is
embarrassing to see that the first photograph in the book, Fig. 5, is labeled Harrisella porrecta, when
the genus Harrisella is treated within the genus Dendrophylax in the text as per recent work by
Carslward et al. (2004).
Our North American natives always seem to suffer in larger works, especially when
information is gleaned from older publications. Although I in no way profess to have a universal
knowledge of orchid genera I am familiar with the North America genera and species north of
Mexico and have found a number of curious statements or errors. Most of these in no way detract
from the usefulness of the work. Amerorchis (p. 18) is stated as currently included in the genus
Platanthera but I can find no current publications that do so. The range cited is also incorrect, as
291
Amerorchis is documented for New York, Vermont, and Maine. Arethusa (p. 33) also occurs in South
Carolina. Blephariglottis (p. 48) is illustrated with what is identified as Blephariglottis albiflora (syn.
Platanthera blephariglottis) but is not that species and is a pale colored flower of P. grandiflora. The
description of the species within the genus Blephariglottis does not include all of the purple-flowered
species. Dichromanthus (p. 123) extends into Arizona. Eburophyton, (p. 141) as Cephelanthera austiniae, is
well-documented from Salt Spring Island, in southwestern British Columbia, Canada and in the
treatment of Cephalanthera is noted from British Columbia. Fimbriella (p. 161) is cited as including a
single species, F. (Platanthera) lacera, but the IPNI includes six species, five of those in the original
paper describing the genus. The illustration is identified as F. lacera, but appears to be a curious
artist‘s composite of several species and not clearly identifiable as to any one, especially not to F.
lacera. The range give for F. lacera omits Texas. Gymnadeniopsis (p. 181) is cited as having an
uppermost lip in the three species and that is incorrect. Only two of the three species have the lip in
this position. Habenaria (p. 183) curiously omits the southeastern United States in the range, where
this genus is particularly abundant. I was particularly interested to see the genus Hammarbya (p. 185)
used as most North American authors still include it in Malaxis although in Eurasia the latter is in
general usage. The range given omits central Canada – Manitoba and western Ontario. Isotria, (p.
204) extends into northern Florida and eastern Texas. The genus Listera (p. 225), although
considered by the authors now in the genus Neottia, extends south to central Florida. Microthelys (p.
246) has been found in New Mexico, a new record for the Untied States, in 2004. Orchis as a valid
genus (p. 278) is stated as occurring in North America. Unless one includes the synonyms using this
genus, Orchis as we know it today does not occur in North America. The closest, historically, would
be the treatment of Orchis spectabilis as Galearis and Orchis rotundifolia as Amerorchis. Paliris (p. 287) is
cited as a synonym for Liparis loeselii and the range given omits North America where it is perhaps
more abundant than in Eurasia. Pelexia (p. 294) is well documented for Florida. Peramium (p. 295), as
a synonym for Goodyera, extends into Georgia, South Carolina, northern Florida, and west to eastern
Texas. Piperia (p. 305) is cited as occurring in Russia, although the new Orchids of Russia (2008) does
not include this genus (or species). The range given omits New Mexico, South Dakota, eastern
Canada and Michigan. Both Pleurothallis (p. 310) and Stelis (p. 372) are listed for southern Florida
when it can only be one or the other, but not both. Restrepiella (p. 334) and Tetramicra are (p. 387)
both listed for Florida, but it is a well-known and documented fact that they were erroneously
included. The inclusion of these two genera is old information and should not have happened.
Virtually all, excepting the record of Microthelys, of the distributional information and errors could
have been easily fact-checked and corrected by consulting the Orchidaceae in Flora of North America
North of Mexico, vol. 26.
Readers should not let these minor points deter them and I can highly recommend this book
to all orchid enthusiasts. It is a volume that will be read for pure pleasure and repeatedly used for
reference and research. Given the costs of publishing today it is a real buy for $49.95 (and perhaps
less if you shop around). PMB
292
NEW TAXA AND COMBINATIONS PUBLISHED IN THE
NORTH AMERICAN NATIVE ORCHID JOURNAL VOLUME 14, 2008
Volume 14 (1): 1- 67 issued January 15, 2008.

Volume 14 (2): 68-184 issued April 3, 2008.
Volume 14 (3): 185-235 issued July 15, 2008.
Volume 14 (4): 236-292 issued October 15, 2008.
Calopogon ×floridensis P.M. Brown nothosp. nov. p. 176

Calopogon ×fowleri P.M. Brown nothosp. nov. p. 177
Calopogon ×goethensis P.M. Brown nothosp. nov. p. 178
Calopogon ×obscurus P.M. Brown nothosp. nov. p. 176-77
Calopogon ×simulans P.M. Brown nothosp. nov. p. 177
Calopogon ×vulgaris P.M. Brown nothosp. nov. p. 177
Corallorhiza bentleyi J.V. Freudenstein forma flavida P.M. Brown f. nov. p. 270
Galearis spectabilis (L.) Raf. forma lilacina (Ames) P.M. Brown stat. & comb. nov. p. 138
Hexalectris nitida L.O. Wiliams forma albescens P.M. Brown f. nov. p. 267
Liparis smallii Wiegand forma cinnamomea P.M. Brown f. nov. p. 270
Platanthera shriveri P.M. Brown sp. nov. p. 239
Platanthera ×enigma P.M. Brown nothosp. nov. p. 255
Sacoila paludicola (Luer) P.M. Brown stat. nov. p. 194
Sacoila paludicola Luer forma aurea (P.M. Brown) P.M. Brown comb. nov. p. 198
Spiranthes stellata P.M. Brown, L.A. Dueck & K.M. Cameron sp.nov. p. 4
293
NEW FROM
CORNELL
UNIVERSITY
PRESS
&
SELBY
BOTANICAL
GARDENS
PRESS
A Comstock Book $49.95,
cloth, 2008, xxv + 482 pages,
8.5 x 11 in., full-color
illustrations throughout,
ISBN: 978-0-8014-4737-2
The Marie Selby Botanical

Gardens Illustrated
Dictionary of Orchid Genera
is the most
comprehensive and
extensively illustrated
account of orchid genera
to date. Its concise entries
provide details of
nomenclature,
classification, original publication, etymology, and geographic range, along with a brief
description and color images of representative flowers.
The dictionary describes not only all of the 850 orchid genera that are recognized today but also
those genera known only from fossil records, published before Linnaeus, validly published (but not
accepted), and invalidly published according to the standards of the International Code of Botanical
Nomenclature, as well as those that have variant names or spellings. In addition to the alphabetic
entries, this dictionary includes an introduction to orchid biology, a glossary, a list of taxonomists
credited with publishing new orchid genera, key references and bibliographical abbreviation list, and
the governing nomenclature rules. The Marie Selby Botanical Gardens Illustrated Dictionary of
Orchid Genera also features a Foreword by Peter H. Raven and an Introduction on the biology of
orchids by David Benzing that describes the August 2007 discovery of the world's oldest
unequivically orchidaceous fossil.
Order your copy from: Cornell University Press http://www.cornellpress.cornell.edu/cup_detail.taf?ti_id=5285
Marie Selby Botanical Gardens http://www.selby.org/index.php?submenu=Research&src=gendocs&ref=
Orchid%20Genera&category=Research
Orchid Books http://www.orchidsbooks.com/book.asp?id=1833 or your local bookseller
294
NEW!
from
Gantner Verlag
and
Koeltz
Scientific
Books
Orchids of Russia and
Adjacent Countries (within
the borders of the former
USSR). 2008. 97 color
distribution maps. 233
photographs and water
color plates. ix + 690
pp. 8vo. Cloth. English.
ISBN 978-3-906166-
61-2. €148.00.
Distributed by Koeltz Scientific Books, Koenigstein, Germany https://www.koeltz.com. Order

inquiries to Orchid Books http://www.orchidsbooks.com/ or directly to Koeltz.
295
or directly from the author at naorchid@aol.com
296

December 2008 North American Native Orchid Journal

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NORTH AMERICAN

NATIVE ORCHID JOURNAL

NOTES FROM THE EDITOR

NEW TAXA AND COMBINATIONS PUBLISHED IN THE

As we begin our 15th year of publication

Coming in January 2009

A FAMILY ORCHID VACATION TO THE GREAT LAKES REGION

FIG. 1. PLATANTHERA SHRIVERI P.M. Brown

A NEW FRINGED PLATANTHERA (ORCHIDACEAE) FROM THE

Platanthera shriveri P.M. Brown, sp. nov.

Fig. 2. Platanthera shriveri P.M. Brown

HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE: Platanthera shriveri flowers about three

The geographic distribution of several Platanthera species native to Appalachia is

In determining the status of Platanthera shriveri it is not so much a question of how

Fig. 3 Platanthera shriveri illustrating the

KEY TO THE PURPLE-FLOWERED PLATANTHERA SPECIES (see figure 7)

a: Platanthera shriveri b: Platanthera ×keenanii c: Platanthera grandiflora

Fig. 4. Comparison of individual flowers

Prime flowering dates 6/23/07 6/27/08 7/14/07 7/18/08

P. shriveri P. grandiflora P. ×keenanii

lateral sepals strongly reflexed forward to reflexed reflexed

petals spatulate, gradually ovate-oblong abruptly slender, spatulate,

isthmus narrow; = to ¾ broad; = to ⅓ the slender

spur tapering to apex, clavate ca.1½× length slender, clavate = to

orifice tapered at both ends rounded rounded

rostellum lobes widely spreading, spreading, convex parallel concave

Chart 1. Comparisons of morphological characters

a: P. shriveri b: P. grandiflora c: P. ×keenanii

Fig. 7. Column and

Fig. 9. Individual flowers ×3

P. grandiflora P. ×keenanii P. lacera P. shriveri

P. cristata P. ×canbyi P. blephariglottis P. pallida

P. cristata P. ×channellii P. ciliaris P. chapmanii

Paul Martin Brown, Research Associate, University of Florida

Fig. 1 Platanthera ×enigma P.M. Brown

A LONG-KNOWN, BUT ENIGMATIC, PLATANTHERA HYBRID

Paul Martin Brown

Platanthera ×enigma P.M. Brown nothsp. nov.

Fig.2 Platanthera ×enigma

Fig. 4 a: Platanthera grandiflora b: P. ×enigma c: P. psycodes

Fig. 5. The granddaddy of all Platanthera ×enigma

P. grandiflora P. ×enigma P. psycodes

Chart 1. Comparison of morphological characters from 10 individuals from southern Maine

Appendix 1. Published hybrids in the fringed-lipped section of Platanthera

Platanthera ×beckneri P.M. Brown Platanthera ×keenanii P.M. Brown

AN AUDIENCE WITH THE QUEEN

The Queen and her court.

Showy lady‘s-slipper orchid (Cypripedium reginae). Photo by John Pelton.

OBSERVATIONS ON HEXALECTRIS NITIDA FROM CENTRAL TEXAS AND

Fig. 4 Distribution of Hexalectris nitida in Texas;

Photographs by Matt White

TWO COLOR FORMS FROM THE CENTRAL APPALACHIANS

Listera smallii Wiegand forma cinnamomea P.M. Brown forma nov.

THE CORRECT GENUS FOR THE JINGLE BELL ORCHID, HARRISELLA

Barbara Carlsward & Mark Whitten

ORCHIDS OF ATLANTIC COAST BARRIER ISLANDS

Eric E. Lamont & Richard Stalter

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Appendix 1 presents a summary of the orchid species observed by us on mid-Atlantic coast

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Calopogon pallidus Chapman pallidus and deposited at Old Dominion University

Your Slow Empiricist

Empiricist: THE FUTURE…