Photo 150330718, no rights reserved, uploaded by Irene

Attribution By Irene
no rights reserved
Uploaded by aparrot1 aparrot1
Source iNaturalist
Associated observations

Photos / Sounds

What

Michael's Rein Orchid (Platanthera michaelii)

Observer

aparrot1

Date

August 2021

Description

Growing on right side of trail in grassy meadow 1000ft from intersection of Eucalyptus Rd/Parker Flats Rd.

Michael's Rein Orchid (Platanthera michaelii) Native orchid, endemic in California. Flowers/perianth is green to yellow-green. Lowest petal lip is broad/deltate-ovate. The 2 lower sepals spread outward (and are not reflexed like P. elongata). The 3 upper sepals/petals are concave and point upward. Spur is long at 8-12 mm (but not as long as P. elongata whose spur is 6.5-18 mm). Peak bloom time: June-July.

Piperia is a former genus within the orchid family Orchidaceae that has since been subsumed under Platanthera. Jepson eFlora and all the references below still call it Piperia michaelii, Michael's Rein Orchid
https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/eflora_display.php?tid=38358

Piperia michaelii. "This rare CA endemic is the most common Pipera species on Fort Ord."
Flora of Fort Ord: Monterey County, California, David Styer, 2019, p. 227.

Piperia michaelii. Plants of Monterey County: an Illustrated Field Key, 2nd edition, Matthews and Mitchell, 2015, pp. 330-331.

Piperia michaelii. Monterey County Wildflowers: a Field Guide, Yeager and Mitchell, 2016, p. 242.

Piperia michaelii. Monterey County Wildflowers https://montereywildflowers.com/orchidaceae-piperia/

Sizes