!Platanthera bifolia (Linne) L.C.M. Richard 1817
Photos By Jay Pfahl
Drawing by Wu Zhanghua
LATE
to EARLY 
Common Name The Two-Leafed Platanthera - The Lesser Butterfly Orchid - In China Xi Ju She Chun Lan
Flower Size .8" [2 cm]
Found in the Faroe Islands, Ireland, Great Britain, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Portugal, Spain, France, Corsica, Sardinia, Sicily, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, Czechoslovakia, Austria, Hungary, Switzerland, Italy, Yugoslavia, Albania, Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, Poland, Belarus, Ukraine, Western Russia, Central Russia, Eastern Russia, Western Siberia, Algeria, Tunisia, Cyprus, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, Iran and Mongolia in short grasslands, moorlands, open woodlands and sometimes marshes at elevations up to 2500 meters as a miniature to giant sized, cold growing terrestrial orchid with a spindly, stem carrying 2 to 3, basal, near erect to spreading, broadly ellioptic to oval, shiny green leaves that blooms in the late spring and early summer on an erect, terminal, 1 3/4' [50 cm] long, simply racemose, laxly many flowered inflorescence and carrying large, fragrant [especially at night] flowers.
Similar to Platanthera chlorantha but easily separated by the different way the pollinia are standing, parallel in P. bifolia and diverging in P. chlorantha.
Synonyms Conopsidium platantherum Wallr. 1840; Conopsidium stenantherum Wallr. 1840 ; Gymnadenia bifolia G.F.W. Meyer 1836; Habenaria bifolia (L.) R. Br. 1813; Habenaria chloroleuca Ridl. 1885; Habenaria fornicata Bab. 1836; Habenaria virescens Druce 1907; Lysias bifolia Salisb. 1812; Orchis alba Lam. 1795; *Orchis bifolia Linne 1763; Orchis bifolia var. brachyglossa Wallr. 1822; Orchis bifolia var. latissima Tinant 1836; Orchis bifolia var. major Besser 1809; Orchis bifolia var. trifolia Gaudin 1829; Orchis bifolia var. trifoliata Tinant 1836; Orchis bifolia var. virens Tinant 1836; Orchis ochroleuca Ten. 1826; Orchis paucifolia Gaterau 1789; Orchis platanthera (Wallr.) E.H.L.Krause 1905; Orchis stenanthera (Wallr.) E.H.L.Krause 1905; Platanthera bifolia f. angustifolia Potonié 1912; Platanthera bifolia f. apetiolata Verm. 1949; Platanthera bifolia f. brachyglossa (Wallr.) Soó 1928; Platanthera bifolia f. bracteata Cortesi 1904; Platanthera bifolia f. brevicalcarata Verm.1949; Platanthera bifolia f. densiflora (Drejer) Soó 1928; Platanthera bifolia f. densispicata Verm. 1949; Platanthera bifolia f. grandiflora Hartm. ex Soó 1928; Platanthera bifolia f. humilior Zapal. 1906; Platanthera bifolia f. latiflora (Drejer) Asch. & Graebn. 1907; Platanthera bifolia f. major Zapal. 1906; Platanthera bifolia f. multifoliolata Verm. 1949; Platanthera bifolia f. nudicaulis Beck 1890; Platanthera bifolia f. pervia (Peterm.) Soó 1928; Platanthera bifolia f. rotundata Verm. 1949; Platanthera bifolia f. subalpina (Brügger) Soó 1928; Platanthera bifolia f. trifoliata (Thielens) Pauca & A.Nyár. 1972; Platanthera bifolia lusus quadrifolia (Peterm.) Soó 1928; Platanthera bifolia lusus trifolia (Gaudin) Soó 1928; Platanthera bifolia subsp. atropatanica B.Baumann & al. 2003; Platanthera bifolia subsp. graciliflora Bisse 1963; Platanthera bifolia subsp. latiflora (Drejer) Løjtnant 1978; Platanthera bifolia subsp. osca R.Lorenz, Romolini, V.A.Romano & Soca 2015; Platanthera bifolia var. atropatanica (B.Baumann & al.) P.Delforge 2004; Platanthera bifolia var. brachyphylla Verm. 1949; Platanthera bifolia var. carducciana (Goiran) Hallier & Wohlf. 1905; Platanthera bifolia var. conferta Peterm. 1846; Platanthera bifolia var. latiflora (Drejer) E.G.Camus 1892; Platanthera bifolia var. laxa Peterm. 1846; Platanthera bifolia var. microglossa Zapal. 1906; Platanthera bifolia var. obtusifolia Schur 1866; Platanthera bifolia var. pervia (Peterm.) Asch. & Graebn. 1907; Platanthera bifolia var. quadrifolia Peterm.1846; Platanthera bifolia var. simonkaiana Soó 1927; Platanthera bifolia var. spathulata Vuyck ex Verm. 1949; Platanthera bifolia var. subalpina Brügger 1884; Platanthera bifolia var. tenuiflora (G.Mey.) Thell. 1914; Platanthera boenninghauseniana F.H.Wilms 1879 not validly publ.; Platanthera brachyglossa Rchb. 1831; Platanthera carducciana Goiran 1883; Platanthera chlorantha f. lancifolia (Rohlena) Soo 1828; Platanthera chlorantha var. wankelii (Rchb.) Nyman 1882; Platanthera fornicata (Bab.) Buttler 2011; Platanthera lancifolia (Rohlena) A.W.Hill 1926; Platanthera major (Besser) Linding. 1928; Platanthera montana var. lancifolia Rohlena 1905; Platanthera pervia Peterm. 1846; Platanthera reichenbachiana F.H.Wilms 1879; Platanthera satyrioides Rchb.f. in H.G.L.Reichenbach 1851; Platanthera schuriana Fuss 1868; Platanthera solstitialis Boenningh. 1830; Platanthera solstitialis var. brachyglossa (Wallr.) Nyman 1882; Platanthera solstitialis var. densiflora Drejer 1842; Platanthera solstitialis var. latiflora Drejer 1842; Platanthera solstitialis var. patula Drejer, Kroeyers 1842; Platanthera solstitialis var. pervia (Peterm.) Rchb.f. 1851; Platanthera solstitialis var. subalpina (Brügger) M.Schulze 1893; Platanthera solstitialis var. trifoliata Thielens 1894; Platanthera subalpina Brügger 1886; Platanthera viricimaculata Kraenzl. 1899; Platanthera wankelii Rchb. 1842; Satyrium bifolium (L.) Wahlenb. 1840; Sieberia bifolia (L.) Spreng. 1817
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ;
Sp. Pl.: 939 L 1753 as Orchis bifolia
Descr. Pl. Montauban: 154 Gaaterau 1789 as Orchis pauciflora;
Fl. Franç., éd. 2, 3: 502 Lam. 1795 as Orchis alba nom. superfl.
Prim. Fl. Galiciae Austriac. 1: 43 Besser 1809 as Orchis bilfolia var major;
Trans. Hort. Soc. London 1: 288 Salisb. 1812 as Lysias bifolia
Hortus Kew., ed. 2. 5: 193 R Br. 1813 as Habenaria bifolia
* De Orchid. Eur.: 35 Rich. 1817
Anleit. Kenntn. Gew., ed. 2. 2(1): 282 Spreng 1817 as Sieberia bifolia
Nat. Arr. Brit. Pl. 2: 207 Gray 1821 publ. 1822 as P bifolia
Nat. Arr. Brit. Pl. 2: 207 Gray 1821 publ. 1822 as P bifolia var minor
Sched. Crit.: 486 Wallr. 1822 as Orchis bifolia var brachyglossa;
Fl. Suecica 2: 579 Wahlenb. 1826 as Satyrium bifolium
Fl. Neapol. Prodr. App. 5: 45 Ten. 1826 as Orchis ochroleuca;
Fl. Helv. 5: 425 Gaudin 1829 as Orchis bifolia var trifolia;
Iconogr. Bot. Pl. Crit. 9: 19 Rchb.f 1831 as P brachyglossa;
Fl. Germ. Excurs., Clavis Syn.: XII Rchb.f 1833 as P bifolia var brachyglossa;
Chloris Han.: 540 G Mey 1836 as Gymnadenia bifolia
Fl. Luxemb.: 436 Tinant 1836 as Orchis bifolia var latissima;
Fl. Luxemb.: 436 Tinant 1836 as Orchis bifolia var trifoliata;
Fl. Luxemb.: 436 Tinant 1836 as Orchis bifolia var virens;
Trans. Linn. Soc. London 17: 463 Bab. 1836 as Habenaria fornicata;
Beitr. Bot. Fl. Teutschl.: 103 Wallr. 1842 as Conopsidium sthenantherum nom. superfl.
Nat. Tidsskr. 4: 46 Boenn. ex Drejer 1842 as P solstitialis
Nat. Tidsskr. 4: 46 Drejer 1842 as P solstitialis var densiflora;
Nat. Tidsskr. 4: 46 Drejer 1842 as P solstitialis var latiflora;
Nat. Tidsskr. 4: 46 Drejer 1842 as as P solstitialis var var patula;
Fl. Saxon.: 89 Rchb.f 1842 as P wankelii
Not. Nat. Civ. Lombardia 1: 315 Ces. 1844 as P bifolia subsp brachyglossa;
Anal. Pfl.-Schlüss.: 443 Peterm. 1846 as P bifolia var laxa;
Anal. Pfl.-Schlüss.: 443 Peterm. 1846 as P bifolia var conferta;
Anal. Pfl.-Schlüss.: 442 Peterm. 1846 as P bifolia var quadrifolia;
Anal. Pfl.-Schlüss.: 591 Peterm. 1846 as P pervia;
Icon. Fl. Germ. Helv. 13-14: 131 Rchb.f 1851 as P satyroides;
Icon. Fl. Germ. Helv. 13-14: 121 Rchb.f 1851 as P solstitialis var pervia
Icon. Fl. Germ. Helv. 13-14: 121 Rchb.f 1851 as P solstitialis var laxiflora; nom. superfl.
Fl. Westfalen: 553 Karsch 1853 as P bifolia var solstitialis;
Norges Fl. 1: 347 Blytt 1861 as P bifolia var densiflora;
Mosk. Fl.: 473 Goldb. ex Kauffm. 1866 as P bifolia var aceras;
Enum. Pl. Transsilv.: 646 Schur 1866 as P bifolia var obtusifolia;
Verh. Mitth. Siebenbürg. Vereins Naturwiss. Hermannstadt 19: 206 Fuss 1868 as P schuriana;
Taschenb. Schweiz. Bot.: 724 Ducommun 1869 as P bifolia var densiflora;
Taschenb. Schweiz. Bot.: 724 Ducommun 1869 as P bifolia var patula;
Taschenb. Schweiz. Bot.: 724 Ducommun 1869 as P bifolia var pervia;
Taschenb. Schweiz. Bot.: 724 Ducommun; 1869 as P bifolia car laxiflora; nom. superfl.
Bull. Soc. Roy. Bot. Belgique 12: 99 Thielens 1873 as P bifolia var latissima;
Bull. Soc. Roy. Bot. Belgique 12: 99 Thielens 1873 as P bifolia var trifoliata
Bull. Soc. Roy. Bot. Belgique 12: 99 Thielens 1873 P bifolia var virens
Jahres-Ber. Bot. Sec. Westfäl. Prov.-Vereins Wiss. Kunst 1879 7: 153 F H Wilms. 1879 as P boenninhauseniana not validly publ.
Jahres-Ber. Bot. Sec. Westfäl. Prov.-Vereins Wiss. Kunst 1879 7: 153 F H Wilms. 1879 as P reichenbachiana;
Consp. Fl. Eur.: 696 Nyman 1882 as P solstitialis var brachyglossa
Consp. Fl. Eur.: 695 Nyman 1882 as P chlorantha var wankelii
Bot. Not. 1883: 97 Neuman 1883 as P bifolia f anomala
Nuovo Giorn. Bot. Ital. 15: 332 Goiran 1883 as P carducciana
Jahresber. Naturf. Ges. Graubündens, n.f., 29: 165 Brugger 1884-1885 publ. 1886 as P bifolia subsp alpina
Jahresber. Naturf. Ges. Graubündens, n.f., 29: 165 Brugger 1884-1885 publ. 1886 as P subalpina
Fl. Nieder-Österreich: 211 Beck 1890 as P bifolia f nudicaulis;
J. Bot. (Morot) 6: 473 E G Camus 1892 as P bifolia var latiflora;
Orch. Deutschl.: 49 M Schulktze 1893 as P solstitialis var subalpina
Oesterr. Bot. Z. 44: 165 Heinr. 1894 as P bifolia f ecalcarata Drawing fide
Oesterr. Bot. Z. 44: 448 Seemen 1894 as P bifolia var robusta;
Orch. Deutschl.: 49 M Schultze 1894 as P solstitialis var trifoliata
Mitth. Thüring. Bot. Vereins, n.f., 10: 85 M Schultze 1897 as P solstitialis var var robusta
Orchid. Gen. Sp. 1: 618 Kraenzlin 1899 as P viricimaculata;
Bull. Trav. Soc. Bot. Genève 9: 129 Chenevard 1899 as P bifolia var subalpina
Meddeland. Soc. Fauna Fl. Fenn. 26: 4 Brenner 1900 as P bifolia f tricornis;
Ann. Bot. (Rome) 2: 477 Cortesi 1904 as P bifolia f bracteata;
Deutschl. Fl. Abbild., ed. 2. 4: 52 J W Sturm 1905 as Orchis sthenanthera nom. superfl.
Syn. Deut. Schweiz. Fl., ed. 3: 2434 Hallier & Wohlf 1905 as P bifolia var carducciana;
Magyar Bot. Lapok 3: 321 Rohlena 1904 publ. 1905 as P montana var lancifolia;
Fl. Galic. Crit. 1: 220 Zapal. 1906 as P bifolia f humilior;
Fl. Galic. Crit. 1: 220 Zapal. 1906 as P bifolia f major;
Fl. Galic. Crit. 2: 220 Potonié 1906 as P bifolia f angustifolia;
Consp. Fl. Galic. Crit. 1: 221 Zapal. 1906 as P bifolia var microglossa;
Syn. Mitteleur. Fl. 3: 831 Asch. & Graebn. 1907 as P bifolia f laxiflora;
Syn. Mitteleur. Fl. 3: 832 Asch. & Graebn. 1907 as P bifolia var boenninghausenaiana;
Syn. Mitteleur. Fl. 3: 832 Asch. & Graebn. 1907 as P bifolia proles patula;
Syn. Mitteleur. Fl. 3: 833 Asch & Graebn. 1907 as P bifolia proles robusta;
Syn. Mitteleur. Fl. 3: 832 Asch & Graebn. 1907 as P bifolia var reichenbachiana;
Syn. Mitteleur. Fl. 3: 832 Asch. & Graebn. 1907 as P bifolia lusus trifoliata;
Syn. Mitteleur. Fl. 3: 833 Asch. & Graebn. 1907 as P bifolia proles subalpina
Ill. Fl. Mitt.-Eur. 2: 372 Hegi 1909
Ill. Fl. Mitt.-Eur. 2: 373 Hegi 1909 as P bifolia f densiflora;
Ill. Fl. Mitt.-Eur. 2: 373 Hegi 1909 as P bifolia f pervia;
Ill. Fl. Mitt.-Eur. 2: 372 Hegi 1909 as P bifolia f trifoliata;
Fl. Schweiz, ed. 3: 74 Thell. 1914 as P bifolia f tenuiflora;
Die Orchideen: 65 Schlechter 1915;
Atlas des Orchidees Cultivees: pl 29 17 Constantin 1920 drawing fide;
Index Kew., Suppl. 6: 159 A W Hill 1926 as P lancifolia;
Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. 24: 34 Soo 1927 as P bifolia var simonkaiana;
Arch. Bot. (Leipzig) 23: 101 Hartm. ex Soo 1928 as P bifolia f grandiflora;
Arch. Bot. (Leipzig) 23: 101 Soo 1928 as P bifolia f brachyglossa;
Arch. Bot. (Leipzig) 23: 103 Soo 1928 as P bifolia lusu quadrifolia;
Arch. Bot. (Leipzig) 23: 102 Soo 1928 as P bifolia lusus trifolia
Arch. Bot. (Leipzig) 23: 102 Soo 1928 as P bifolia f subalpina
Arch. Bot. (Leipzig) 23: 103 Soo 1928 as P chlorantha f lancifolia;
Gartenflora 77: 69 Linding. 1928 as P major
Mitt. Herm. Roemer-Mus. Hildesheim 34: 69 Seeland 1929 as P bifolia lusus reichenbachiana;
Ill. Fl. Mitt.-Eur., ed. 2, 2: 495 Suess. 1939 as P bifolia lusus boenninghauseniana;
Ned. Kruidk. Arch. 56: 240 Verm 1949 as P bifolia var brevicalcarata;
Ned. Kruidk. Arch. 56: 240 Verm 1949 as P bifolia var brachyphylla;
Ned. Kruidk. Arch. 56: 240 Verm. 1949 as P bifolia f apetiolata;
Ned. Kruidk. Arch. 56: 240 Verm. 1949 as P bifolia f multifoliata;
Ned. Kruidk. Arch. 56: 240 Verm. 1949 as P bifolia f densispicata;
Ned. Kruidk. Arch. 56: 240 Verm. 1949 as P bifolia f rotundata;
Ned. Kruidk. Arch. 56: 240 Vuyck ex Verm. 1949 as P bifolia var spathulata;
Fl. Neerl. 1(5): 44 Verm. 1958 as P bifolia f brevicalcarata;
Fl. Neerl. 1(5): 44 Verm. 1958 as P bifolia monstr. ecalcarata;
Feddes Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. 67: 189 Bisse 1963 as P bifolia subsp graciliflora;
Encyclopedia of Cultivated Orchids Hawkes 1965 photo ok;
AOS Bulletin Vol 38 No 9 1969;
Feddes Repert. 83: 189 Soo 1972 as P bifolia var graciliflora;
Die Orchideen 3 Auflage Bd 1 Sonderabdruck aus Schlechter Lieferung 4 193 to 256 Brieger, Maatsch and Senghas 1973;
Feddes Repert. 89: 14 Løjtnant 1978 as P bifoliasubsp latiflora;
Mitt. Arbeitskreis Heimische Orchid. Baden-Württemberg 13: 120 H Baumann 1981 a P kuenkelei;
Naturalistes Belges 81: 398 P Delforge 2000 as P bifolia var kuenkelei;
Genera Orchidacearum Vol 2 Part One Pridgeon, Cribb, Chase and Rasmussen 2001 drawing fide;
J. Eur. Orch. 35: 184 B.Baumann, H.Baumann, R.Lorenz & Ruedi Peter 2003 as P bifolioa subsp atropatanica
Naturalistes Belges 85: 252 P Delforge 2004 as P bifolia var atropatanica;
Kompend. Eur. Orchid.: 133 Kruetz. 2004 as P bifolia subsp kuenkelei;
Orchids of Europe, North Africa and the Middle East Delforge 2005;
Flora of China Vol 25 Zhengyi, Raven & Deyuan 2009;
Orquideologia Vol 27 #1 2010 drawing Fide;
Flora of China Vol 25 Illustrations Zhengyi, Raven & Deyuan 2010 drawing ok;
Jahresber. Wetterauischen Ges. Gesamte Naturk. 159-161: 100 Buttler 2011 as P fornicata;
Jahresber. Wetterauischen Ges. Gesamte Naturk. 159-161: 101 Buttler 2011 as P fornicata var atropatanica;
J. Eur. Orch. 44: 20 R.Lorenz, Akhalk., H.Baumann, Cortis, Cogoni & Scrugli 2012 as P kuenkelei subsp atropatanica;
J. Eur. Orch. 44: 20 R.Lorenz, Akhalk., H.Baumann, Cortis, Cogoni & Scrugli 2012 as P kuenkelei var sardoa;
Naturalistes Belges 96(Orchid. 28): 20 P Delforge 2015 as P atropatanica;
J. Eur. Orch. 47: 158 R.Lorenz, Romolini, V.A.Romano & Soca2015 as P bifolia subsp osca;
AOS Bulletin Vol 86 #9 2017 photo/drawings fide;
AOS Bulletin Vol 86 #4 2017 drawing fide;
AOS Bulletin Vol 86 #5 2017 photo ok;
The Orchid Review Vol 1278 No 1330 June 2020 photo fide;
Atlas of Native Orchids of China Vol 1 Jin Xiaohua, Li Jianwu and Ye Deping 2019 photo fide;
GIROS Orch. Spont. Eur. 65: 150 Biagioli, Kreutz & De Simoni 2022 as P osca
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