Platanthera clavellata (Michaux) Luer
Club-spur orchid, small green wood orchid
The specific epithet clavellata is the Latin meaning "club-shaped,"
in reference to the clubbed (clavate!) spur of this species.
DESCRIPTION: Plant
glabrous, arising from a cluster of fleshy, thickened roots, 10-60 cm tall.
Leaves 2-5, lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate to elliptical, gradually
reduced to linear-lanceolate bracts higher up on the stem, 6.5-18 cm long
and 1.4-5 cm wide, ascending. Inflorescence a loose or dense raceme,
15-40(-60) flowered; flowers yellowish-green to green, each flower subtended
by a lance-linear, acuminate bract. Sepals ovate, 2-4 mm long and
1.5-3 mm wide, colored as flowers; dorsal sepal connivent with petals over
the column, lateral sepals reflexed. Petals similar to sepals, connivent
with dorsal sepal over the column, colored as flowers. Labellum oblong
to quadrate with a pair of teeth or triangular lobes near the base and a
prominent tubercle in the central portion of the base, 3-6 mm long and 1-3
mm wide, colored as flowers, base of labellum with a +/- clubbed nectar
spur projecting behind, 4-7 mm long.
SIMILAR SPECIES: Platanthera clavellata could perhaps be confused
with P.obtusata, as both species are
found in swampy or boggy areas and have only one leaf. The two are easily
separated by the shape of the labellum: the labellum is narrow-lanceolate
and acute in P.obtusata, but is oblong
and tridentate in P. clavellata.
HABITAT: Typically found in sphagnous, boggy areas, such as the margin
of sandy lakes, sphagnous swales or meadows, or Sphagnum bogs.
FLOWERING DATES: July 10-August 5.
POLLINATION: Platanthera clavellata is self-pollinating, with
the pollen germinating in the clinandria and growing down into the stigma
(Catling 1983a). This was actually
first described by Asa Gray. Despite this, insects must at least occasionally
visit the plants, as Fred Case has collected a hybrid between P. clavellata
and P. blephariglottis, which he has named P. X vossii
Case (Case 1983).
WI DISTRIBUTION: 
U.S. DISTRIBUTION:
Go directly to Wisconsin herbarium records.
Return to the main LIST
of the Orchids of Wisconsin.
Return to the main KEY to the Orchids of
Wisconsin.
