Platanthera elegans Lindley, Gen. Sp. Orchid. Pl., 285. 1835

Plants 12–73(–100) cm. Stems swollen at base (rarely attenuate), 2–12 mm diam. distal to leaves; bracts (4–)12–37. Leaves prostrate; blade 6–20(–38) × 1–9 cm. Inflorescences usually densely flowered, cylindric, 2.5–40 cm; rachis shorter than peduncle; bracts 6–24 mm. Flowers mostly white, fragrance strong at night; sepals white with green midvein, 3–7 × 1.6–3 mm; dorsal sepal ovate to oblong; lateral sepals usually widespreading, ovate-elliptic to oblong-lanceolate; petals spreading, recurved, straight, ovate to oblong-lanceolate, (3–)4–6 × 1.5–2.5 mm; lip recurved, pale greenish to white, triangular-lanceolate to lanceolate, 2.5–7 × 1.5–3.5 mm; spur usually deflexed, curved, (3–)7–14 mm; viscidia 0.4–1 × 0.15–0.5 mm; rostellum blunt. Capsules 5–12 mm. Seeds cinnamon brown. 2n = 42.

Subspecies 2 (2 in the flora): w North America.

[Key to subspecies contained in key to species.—Ed.]