Platanthera,
lehdokit
Platanthera is mainly American and Asian genus, but several species
also occur in Europe, only two of which are common. All of the European
species have undivided lip, and the flowers are cloured from green to white.
Few American species are really handsome plants with red flowers pollinated
by Humble-Birds. European species are pollinated by butterflyes.
Platantheras have guite elongate, undivided tuber. They start
growing in spring, but the leaf-bud is large already in autumn, it can
be few millimeters above ground level. Sometimes even the new tuber grows
already in autumn, which is very exceptional. The stems grow fast in spring
and the flowers open in Middle Summer, P. bifolia opens earlier
than P. chlorantha. Flowering plants may be found as far to autumn
as in August.
1: bifolia - valkolehdokki
2: chlorantha - keltalehdokki
3: Platanthera -hybrid