Platanthera chlorantha (Custer) Rchb. in J.C.Mössler & H.G.L.Reichenbach, Handb. Gewächsk. ed. 2, 2: 1565 (1829).
Homotypic Synonyms:
Orchis chlorantha Custer, Neue Alp. 2: 400 (1827).
Habenaria chlorantha (Custer) Bab., Trans. Linn. Soc. London 17: 462 (1836), nom. illeg.
Gymnadenia chlorantha (Custer) Ambrosi, Fl. Tirolo Mer. 1: 705 (1854).
Habenaria chloroleuca Ridl., J. Bot. 23: 219 (1885).
Platanthera bifolia subsp. chlorantha (Custer) Rouy in G.Rouy & J.Foucaud, Fl. France 13: 92 (1913).
Heterotypic Synonyms:
Orchis montana F.W.Schmidt, Fl. Boëm. 1: 35 (1793), nom. rej.
Orchis bifolia var. macroglossa Wallr., Sched. Crit.: 486 (1822).
Orchis bifolia var. elatior Gaudin, Fl. Helv. 5: 425 (1829).
Orchis virescens Zollik. ex Gaud., Fl. Helv. 5: 497 (1829), nom. illeg.
Platanthera virescens K.Koch, Linnaea 22: 288 (1849).
Platanthera montana (F.W.Schmidt) Rchb.f. in H.G.L.Reichenbach, Icon. Fl. Germ. Helv. 13-14: 156 (1851).
Platanthera chlorantha var. montana (F.W.Schmidt) Nyman, Consp. Fl. Eur.: 695 (1882).
Habenaria montana (F.W.Schmidt) T.Durand & Schinz, Consp. Fl. Afric. 5: 82 (1894).
Platanthera chlorantha var. angustata Zapal., Consp. Fl. Gallic. Crit. 2: 221 (1906).
Platanthera chlorantha f. bracteata Zapal., Consp. Fl. Gallic. Crit. 2: 221 (1906).
Habenaria virescens (K.Koch) Druce, Ann. Scott. Nat. Hist. 1907: 244 (1907), nom. illeg.
Platanthera chlorantha var. grandiflora M.Schulze in P.F.A.Ascherson & al., Syn. Mitteleur. Fl. 3: 836 (1907).
Platanthera bifolia var. montana (F.W.Schmidt) Bolzon, Nuovo Giorn. Bot. Ital., n.s., 21: 175 (1914).
Platanthera chlorantha f. grandiflora (M.Schulze) Soó, Arch. Bot. (Leipzig) 23: 103 (1928).
Platanthera holmboei H.Lindb., Årsbok-Vuosik. Soc. Sci. Fenn. 20B(7): 11 (1942).
Platanthera chlorantha var. robusta Verm., Ned. Kruidk. Arch. 56: 239 (1949).
Platanthera chlorantha subsp. holmboei (H.Lindb.) J.J.Wood, Orchid Rev. 88: 122 (1980).
× Pseudanthera breadalbanensis McKean, Watsonia 14: 129 (1982).
Platanthera montana var. gselliana H.Baumann, Künkele & R.Lorenz, J. Eur. Orchideen 34: 198 (2002).
Platanthera montana subsp. holmboei (H.Lindb.) Ströhle, J. Eur. Orch. 35: 834 (2003).
Platanthera lesbiaca Devillers-Tersch., Devillers, Dedroog, Baeten & Flausch, Naturalistes Belges 91: 244 (2010).
Platanthera chlorantha var. gselliana (H.Baumann, Künkele & R.Lorenz) Perazza & R.Lorenz, Orchid. Italia: 359 (2013).
Description:
Plants 30-54 cm tall. Rootstock tuberous, ovoid-fusiform, 2-4 × 0.8-1.5 cm. Stem erect, with a tubular sheath at base, 2-leaved. Leaves basal, subopposite, spatulate-elliptic or oblanceolate-elliptic, 10-20 × 3-8 cm, gradually contracted and sheathing at base, apex obtuse or acute. Peduncle slender to robust, with 1-4 scattered, lanceolate bracts; rachis 7-23 cm, laxly to subdensely 9-32-flowered; floral bracts lanceolate, 10-22 mm, basal ones exceeding ovary, apex acuminate. Flowers fragrant, greenish white or white; pedicel and ovary arcuate, cylindric, 12-18 mm. Dorsal sepal erect, forming a hood with petals, ovate to orbicular-cordate, cymbiform, 5-7 × 5-6 mm, glabrous, 5-veined, apex obtuse; lateral sepals spreading, ovate, oblique, 7.5-8 × 4-4.5 mm, glabrous, 3-5-veined, apex acute. Petals narrowly ovate-lanceolate, oblique, 5-6 × 2.5-3 mm, 1-3-veined, apex acute; lip spreading to pendulous, ligulate, gradually tapering toward apex, 8-13 × ca. 2 mm, entire, apex obtuse; spur pendulous to spreading horizontally or sometimes arching upward, clavate-cylindric, 16-36 mm, exceeding ovary, conspicuously thickened toward apex, apex obtuse. Column stout; staminodes conspicuous; anther locules divergent; pollinia ellipsoid, with slender caudicles and orbicular viscidia; rostellum broad, tapelike; stigma lobes confluent, concave, lying directly below rostellum.
Habitat:
This perennial herb is found in a wide variety of habitats, usually on well-drained calcareous soils. Typical habitats include downland, rough pasture, hay meadows, scrub, woodland and young plantations. It sometimes occurs on sand dunes and railway embankments. Rarely, it grows on slightly acidic soils in moorland and wet, heathy pasture. 0-460 m (Harwood Dale, S. Northumb.).
Flower time:
Jun-Aug, fr. Jul-Sep
Distribution:
Morocco, Europe to N. Iran and N. Israel
Reference:
Richard Fitter, Alastair Fitter, Marjorie Blamey. The Wild Flowers of Britain and Northern Europe. Collins, London. 1st Edition, 1974.
Images:
Click on each image to see a larger version.

Habitat/In situ	Habitat/In situ	Habitat/In situ	Habitat/In situ	Habitat/In situ
Photograph© Rogier van Vugt. Image used with kind permission.	Photograph© Rogier van Vugt. Image used with kind permission.	Photograph© Rogier van Vugt. Image used with kind permission.	Photograph© Rogier van Vugt. Image used with kind permission.	Photograph© Rogier van Vugt. Image used with kind permission.