Platanthera platantheroides
Overview
A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.
Platanthera platantheroides faces significant pressure from habitat conversion as wetland meadows and prairies are drained for agriculture and urban development. The species' specialized pollination requirements and dependence on specific mycorrhizal fungi make it particularly vulnerable to environmental changes. Climate change poses an additional threat by altering precipitation patterns and temperature regimes that affect both the orchid's growth cycle and the availability of suitable pollinators.
Habitat
This orchid inhabits wet prairies, sedge meadows, and calcareous wetlands, typically in areas with consistent moisture and alkaline soils. It requires open to semi-shaded conditions and is often found in association with native grasses and sedges in undisturbed prairie remnants.