Platanthera sp.
Bog-orchid, Bog-Orchid
(c) Brian Finzel, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Brian Finzel · licence
Family: Orchidaceae · Type: Perennial · Native
Platanthera sp. (Bog-orchid) is a native California perennial in the Orchidaceae family.
How to tell it apart
vs Spiranthes: Platanthera flowers have spurs and grow in a regular spike, while Spiranthes flowers lack spurs and spiral up the stem.; vs Fritillaria: Platanthera has narrow leaves with a central fold and small spurred flowers, while Fritillaria has broader leaves and large nodding bell-shaped flowers.; vs Clintonia: Platanthera has flowers in a spike with spurs, while Clintonia has few large flowers without spurs and broad basal leaves.; vs Epipactis: Platanthera leaves have one central fold and flowers have spurs, while Epipactis leaves have multiple pleats and flowers lack spurs.; vs Habenaria: Habenaria is an outdated name for Platanthera - they are the same genus.
Frequently asked questions
Is Platanthera sp. native to California?
Yes. Platanthera sp. is native to California (recorded as native).
What plant family does Platanthera sp. belong to?
Platanthera sp. is in the Orchidaceae family, genus Platanthera.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-09-26
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.