Part 36

New England Range—Refer to range of H. blephariglottis for New England.

15.—HABENARIA LACERA (Michaux) R. Brown, 1803-1810

RAGGED-FRINGED GREEN ORCHIS

The specific name, lacera, refers to the lacerate or ragged and torn appearance of the fringed labellum of this species.

A bogland, meadow, or woodland orchid, with fleshy-fibrous roots. June 20th-July 15.

=Flowers= greenish-yellow, in loose-flowered spike, 2-6 inches long. =Labellum= 3-parted, deeply fringed or ragged. =Sepals= ovate, obtuse, upper one broader than lower ones. =Stem= slender or stout, leafy, 1-2½ feet high. =Leaves= lanceolate, 5-8 inches long; bract-like above.

Continental Range—From Nova Scotia southward to Georgia and Alabama; westward to Minnesota and Indiana.

In Thompson’s Swamps, Pownal, Vermont, this species intergrades with H. psycodes and H. clavellata. The hybrids, or those crossed with H. psycodes produce flowers with light purple, and less fringed than in the true type of H. lacera; while those crossed with H. clavellata are much less ragged fringed than in the type form of H. lacera, although in a much smaller spike, with nearly white or creamy-green flowers, resembling a large spike of H. clavellata.

New England Range—Maine, common; New Hampshire, common; Vermont, common; Massachusetts, infrequent; Rhode Island, frequent; Connecticut, common.

16.—HABENARIA GRANDIFLORA (Bigelow) Torrey, 1824-1826

(Habenaria fimbriata A. Gray, 1867)

LARGE PURPLE-FRINGED ORCHIS—LONG PURPLES—DEAD-MEN’S FINGERS—DEAD-MEN’S THUMBS

The specific name, grandiflora, refers to the grand flowers of this species; the most beautiful among the bogland Habenarias.

Tall, damp woodland or bogland orchid, with fleshy-fibrous or palmate roots. June-July 22d-August 16th.

=Flowers= lilac or deep purple, fragrant in densely-flowered spiked raceme; 3-15 inches long; 1-2½ inches broad. Rarely white flowered spikes occur. =Labellum= 3-parted, ½-1 inch broad; ½ inch long, deeply fringed. =Sepals= and =petals= connivent, somewhat toothed. =Spur= 1-1½ inch long, clavate. =Stem= leafy, 1-5 feet high. =Leaves= numerous, oblong, 4-10 inches long, 1-3 inches wide; bract-like above.

Continental Range—From Nova Scotia southward to North Carolina; westward to Wisconsin and Michigan.

New England Range—Maine, common; New Hampshire, common; Vermont, frequent; Massachusetts, frequent; Rhode Island, frequent; Connecticut, common.

17.—HABENARIA PSYCODES (Linnæus) A. Gray, 1753-1840

SMALL PURPLE-FRINGED ORCHIS—LONG PURPLES—DEAD-MEN’S FINGERS—DEAD-MEN’S THUMBS

The specific name, psycodes, comes from the Greek psychoda, a butterfly, probably referring to the dainty poise of the fringed, and winged-petaled flowers.

Tall bogland or damp woodland orchid, with fleshy or palmately-tuberous roots. July 1st-August-September.

=Flowers= pink-purple, rarely white, very fragrant in densely flowered spiked raceme, 2-6 inches long; 1-1½ inches broad. =Labellum= 3-parted, fan-shaped, fringed, ⅓-½ inch broad, much smaller and often confused with the larger species (H. grandiflora). =Sepals= and =petals= similar in texture, lower sepals ovate, upper one narrower. Petals oblong, toothed on upper margin. =Spur= clavate at apex. =Stem= leafy, 1-3 feet high.

Continental Range—From Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Lake Huron southward to the swampy meadows in the western mountains of North Carolina; westward to Minnesota in tamarack sphagnous swamps.

New England Range—Maine, very common; New Hampshire, common; Vermont, common; Massachusetts, frequent; Rhode Island, common; Connecticut, frequent.

18.—HABENARIA ANDREWSEII White n. sp. (per letter), 1903

ANDREWS’ ROSE-PURPLE ORCHIS

Habenaria psycodes × lacera White and Andrews, Rhodora 3:245-248, 1901

The specific name, Andrewseii, refers to the species being named in honor of Dr. A. LeRoy Andrews, who described this species as a varietal form of H. psycodes × lacera. The species was first discovered and collected by Mr. Marcus White, July 22, 1899.