Friday, August 27, 2010

Holding Court with Royalty, Part 2 - Orange Fringeless Orchid (Platanthera integra)

In early to mid August (at least in the Florida panhandle where I'm most familiar), one of the bog princelings comes into bloom. Platanthera integra, also known as the Orange Fringeless Orchid or the Yellow Fringeless Orchid) blazes forth in a brilliant yellow-orange color. When viewed in the late afternoon, when the sun has become more golden in color, its flower heads appear to be literally on fire.


This species has roughly the same proportions as Platanthera integra, with some key differences being flower color, flower presentation (lips-downward or resupinate), and a lack of fragrance. While many of the Floridian bog-dwelling Platantheras, have decided fringes on their lips, P. integra has lips with only the slightest etching, as if it aspires one day to be like its larger family members.

You can read even more about this species on the updated Orange Fringeless Orchid web page by clicking the link below:

>> Orange Fringeless Orchid Information Page <<

Enjoy!

---Prem

2 comments:

Unknown said...

That's one for sure that I've never seen. It looks small.

Prem said...

The flower heads are between 2.5 and 3.5 inches tall with flowers around 1cm tall, so not very small or very big...our smallest orchid flowers are literally pinhead size (Listera australis, Dendrophylax porrectus), while the largest can be six inches across the longest dimension (Dendrophylax lindenii and Vanilla phaeantha).

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