Tag: Platanthera praeclara

Back to the Prairie Platanthera

Missouri's Orchids, native plants

We really lucked out this past June when Casey and I took a trip to the northwest of Missouri in search of the two state-endangered prairie-fringed orchids. We were not sure if we would find Platanthera leucophaea (eastern prairie-fringed orchid) at all and chances were iffy to find both species flowering simultaneously. During some years, there may be gaps in the phenology of flowering of these two species in the state, which would require at least a couple of these long trips. As mentioned above, we not only found both species in our search but found them both at near-peak bloom.

First up is Platanthera praeclara (western prairie-fringed orchid) that we found in a reliable spot in Harrison County.

The state-endangered and federally-threatened Platanthera praeclara was photographed with a backdrop of tallgrass prairie in Harrison County, MO
Naturally pollinated by nocturnal sphinx moths, some state programs are now hand-pollinating prairie-fringed orchids in efforts to increase populations and reintroduce the plants to new areas.

We were thrilled to find a population of approximately 40 Platanthera leucophaea (eastern prairie-fringed orchid) plants at a Grundy County location.

A pair of Platanthera leucophaea stand tall in a wet prairie in Grundy Co, MO.
The long nectar spurs require an insect with a long proboscis to act as pollinator of Platanthera leucophaea.
A pair of grasshopper nymphs feeding on Platanthera leucophaea. This was the only plant we observed with heavy arthropod feeding pressure like this.

A Pair of Prairie Platanthera

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Platanthera lacera (green fringed-orchid) – a sole individual found in Franklin County, MO.

Today I’m showing a couple of orchids from the Platanthera genus. The title of this post suggests these are both prairie obligates, however this is not true with the first species shown here – P. lacera, the green fringed-orchid. P. lacera most likely appears in more different habitat types than any other orchid in the state. You can find this orchid in places ranging from dry hay fields to fens to forest habitats. The sole individual I was able to find this year was on a reconstructed prairie in Franklin County, MO. Unfortunately, this plant was several days past peak bloom so, I’ll be looking for others in the coming seasons.

Platanthera praeclara (western prairie fringed orchid)

Sarah and I had quite a treat when we made a long day trip to north-western MO in mid-June of this year. We were able to find a few western prairie fringed-orchids just past peak bloom. This was a first for both of us. Platanthera praeclara is a globally endangered species and listed as an S1 species (critically imperiled) by the state of Missouri. This is just another of the many species in such a status due to the unregulated destruction of prairie habitat in the midwest for crop cultivation over the past 200 years. The large white flowers of this species are pollinated by nocturnal sphinx moths – a potential photography project in years to come.

A closeup of a single Platanthera praeclara flower.

-OZB