Platanthera integrilabia (Correll) Luer

White Fringeless Orchid; Monkey Face Orchid

Herb

Perennial

Vascular

Monkey Face Orchid is a native herbaceous perennial in the Orchid family (Orchidaceae). It can be found in the northern half of Alabama. Monkey Face Orchid grows in shaded seeps, in sphagnum bogs, in wet forests, and around spring heads. It is a perennial from a thick, tuberous-like root. It often forms colonies from the enlarged bud producing tips of elongate roots. Each stem has 2-3 alternate, spreading basal leaves. The leaves are elliptic to lanceolate in outline, entire, and folded along the midvein. The upper stem leaves are much reduced in size and bract-like. Flowers are produced in a terminal raceme. The flowers are resupinate and white in color. Each flower has 2 drooping later sepals, 1 sepal and 2 petals that form a hood, an entire lip petal, and a long, downward curving spur. The flowers produce a sweet scent, especially at night. They are pollinated by butterflies and moths. The fruit is a capsule with many dust-like seed. Monkey Face Orchid was listed as a Threatened Species by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on October 13, 2016. It is listed as a S2 species in Alabama (typically 6 to 20 occurrences, few remaining individuals, acres, or miles of stream, or factors demonstrably making it very vulnerable in the state), and Globally as a G2G3 species (G2 - Imperiled globally because of rarity (6 - 20 occurrences, or few remaining acres, or miles of stream) or very vulnerable to extinction throughout its range because of other factors. G3 - Imperiled globally because of rarity (6 - 20 occurrences, or few remaining acres, or miles of stream) or very vulnerable to extinction throughout its range because of other factors).--A. Diamond

Listed as <a href="https://ecos.fws.gov/ecp0/profile/speciesProfile?spcode=Q2GF">Federally Threatened</a> as of 13 Oct 2016. </a>

Native Threatened-US S2 (State Rank) G2G3 (Global Rank)

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