Platanthera shriveri

Platanthera shriveri, Shriver's purple fringed orchid,^[1] is a rare orchid endemic to the United States. It is considered critically imperiled.^[2]

Shriver's purple fringed orchid
Platanthera shriveri
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Monocots
Order:	Asparagales
Family:	Orchidaceae
Subfamily:	Orchidoideae
Genus:	Platanthera
Species:	P. shriveri
Binomial name
Platanthera shriveri P.M.Br.

Description

Platanthera shriveri plants look very similar to Platanthera grandiflora and a hybrid origin with Platanthera lacera is suspected. To distinguish Platanthera shriveri from Platanthera grandiflora small morphological details and a different bloom time (July and August, about 3 weeks later) have to be observed.^[1]

Distribution and habitat

The only known populations are in Maryland, North Carolina, Pennsylvania (historic record only), Virginia and West Virginia.^[2] They grow in woodlands and along stream banks.

Taxonomy

Platanthera shriveri was described as a new species by P. M. Brown in 2008.

There is ongoing research whether the plants described as Platanthera shriveri are a separate botanical species or can be considered within the morphological and bloom time ranges of Platanthera grandiflora.^[3]