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Platanthera grandiflora

(Bigelow) Lindl.

Large Purple Fringed Orchid

G5Secure Found in 37 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
UnknownThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.141092
Element CodePMORC1Y090
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
CITESAppendix II
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassMonocotyledoneae
OrderOrchidales
FamilyOrchidaceae
GenusPlatanthera
Synonyms
Habenaria fimbriata(Ait.) R. Br.Habenaria grandiflora(Bigelow) Torr.Platanthera grandifolia(Bigelow) Lindl.
Other Common Names
Greater Purple Fringed Orchid (EN) greater purple fringed orchid (EN) Large Purple-fringe Orchis (EN) Platanthère grandiflore (FR) Plume-royal (EN)
Concept Reference
Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2024-06-12
Change Date1984-06-25
Edition Date2024-06-12
Edition AuthorsN. Ventrella (2024)
Threat ImpactUnknown
Range Extent200,000-2,500,000 square km (about 80,000-1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences> 300
Rank Reasons
Platanthera grandiflora is a widespread perennial herb occurring in marshes, bogs, stream banks, old fields, and wooded slopes of Newfoundland, Labrador, and Ontario, Canada to North Carolina, Kentucky, and Georgia, United States. Threats include forest management practices, collection, prescribed fire, land-use conversion, habitat fragmentation, deer browse, invasive species, alteration to hydrology, recreation, rights-of-way maintenance and construction, livestock grazing, climate change, drought, development, and likely other threats in some places. Little is known about trends, but with a large range extent, large number of occurrences, and no obvious intrinsic vulnerabilities, this species is considered secure.
Range Extent Comments
Platanthera grandiflora occurs in eastern North America from Newfoundland, Labrador, and Ontario, Canada south to North Carolina, Kentucky, and Georgia, United States (Weakley and the Southeastern Flora Team 2024). Range extent was estimated to be just under 1 million square kilometers using herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data documented between 1993 and 2024 (GBIF 2024, iNaturalist 2024, NatureServe 2024, SEINet 2024).
Occurrences Comments
By applying a 1 km separation distance to herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data documented between 1993 and 2024, it is estimated that there are over 300 occurrences rangewide (GBIF 2024, iNaturalist 2024, NatureServe 2024, SEINet 2024).
Threat Impact Comments
Although threats are not widely documented, Platanthera grandiflora is vulnerable to forest management practices, collection, prescribed fire, land-use conversion, and habitat fragmentation (Southern Appalachian Species Viability Project 2002). Additional threats include deer browse, invasive species, changes to forest canopy cover due to Emerald Ash Borer and Gypsy Moth, alteration to hydrology, recreation (including off-road vehicle impacts), rights-of-way maintenance and construction, livestock grazing, climate change, drought, development, and likely other threats in some places (NatureServe 2024). There is insufficient data, including anecdotal accounts, to understand the scope and severity of threats for this taxon. However, their overall impact is likely negligible given species' broad range, large number of occurrences, tolerance of light disturbance, and affinity for typically abundant habitats, as well as no obvious intrinsic vulnerabilities.
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Platanthera grandiflora occurs in a variety of habitat types including "alluvial and swamp forests, stream banks, seeping slopes, marshes, sphagnum bog forests, mesic wooded slopes, and old fields" (FNA 2002).
Terrestrial Habitats
Old field
Palustrine Habitats
HERBACEOUS WETLANDFORESTED WETLANDBog/fenRiparian
Other Nations (2)
CanadaN3
ProvinceRankNative
Island of NewfoundlandS3Yes
Nova ScotiaS3Yes
OntarioS1Yes
Prince Edward IslandS1Yes
QuebecS3Yes
New BrunswickS3Yes
United StatesN5
ProvinceRankNative
West VirginiaS4Yes
VirginiaS2Yes
GeorgiaS1Yes
DelawareSXYes
New YorkS4Yes
MichiganSNRYes
New HampshireSNRYes
North CarolinaS2Yes
Rhode IslandS2Yes
TennesseeS2Yes
PennsylvaniaSNRYes
VermontSNRYes
MassachusettsS4Yes
WisconsinSNRYes
ConnecticutSNRYes
MaineSNRYes
New JerseyS2Yes
OhioSXYes
MarylandS2Yes
District of ColumbiaSNRYes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
1 - Residential & commercial developmentUnknownUnknownUnknown
2 - Agriculture & aquacultureUnknownUnknownUnknown
2.3 - Livestock farming & ranchingUnknownUnknownUnknown
2.3.4 - Scale unknown/unrecordedUnknownUnknownUnknown
4 - Transportation & service corridorsUnknownUnknownUnknown
5 - Biological resource useUnknownUnknownUnknown
5.2 - Gathering terrestrial plantsUnknownUnknownUnknown
5.3 - Logging & wood harvestingUnknownUnknownUnknown
5.3.5 - Motivation unknown/unrecordedUnknownUnknownUnknown
6 - Human intrusions & disturbanceUnknownUnknownUnknown
6.1 - Recreational activitiesUnknownUnknownUnknown
7 - Natural system modificationsUnknownUnknownUnknown
7.1 - Fire & fire suppressionUnknownUnknownUnknown
7.1.1 - Increase in fire frequency/intensityUnknownUnknownUnknown
7.2 - Dams & water management/useUnknownUnknownUnknown
8 - Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseasesUnknownUnknownUnknown
8.1 - Invasive non-native/alien species/diseasesUnknownUnknownUnknown
8.1.1 - Unspecified speciesUnknownUnknownUnknown
8.2 - Problematic native species/diseasesUnknownUnknownUnknown
8.2.2 - Named speciesUnknownUnknownUnknown
11 - Climate change & severe weatherUnknownUnknownUnknown
11.2 - DroughtsUnknownUnknownUnknown

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Plant Characteristics
DurationPERENNIAL
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (37)
Maine (1)
AreaForestAcres
Caribou - Speckled ExtWhite Mountain National Forest5,988
New Hampshire (9)
AreaForestAcres
Cherry MountainWhite Mountain National Forest8,766
KearsargeWhite Mountain National Forest4,554
KilkennyWhite Mountain National Forest28,766
Mt. Wolf - Gordon PondWhite Mountain National Forest11,846
PemigewassetWhite Mountain National Forest32,255
Pemigewasset ExtWhite Mountain National Forest15,840
Presidential - Dry River ExtWhite Mountain National Forest10,555
Sandwich RangeWhite Mountain National Forest16,797
Wild RiverWhite Mountain National Forest46,878
North Carolina (6)
AreaForestAcres
Balsam ConePisgah National Forest10,591
BearwallowPisgah National Forest4,113
Craggy MountainPisgah National Forest2,657
Jarrett CreekPisgah National Forest7,485
Laurel MountainPisgah National Forest5,683
Wilson CreekPisgah National Forest4,863
Tennessee (2)
AreaForestAcres
Big Laurel Branch AdditionCherokee National Forest5,577
Flint Mill GapCherokee National Forest9,494
Vermont (1)
AreaForestAcres
Devil's Den 09083Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests9,169
Virginia (3)
AreaForestAcres
Mountain Lake Addition AJefferson National Forest1,469
SkidmoreGeorge Washington National Forest5,641
The PriestGeorge Washington National Forest5,737
West Virginia (15)
AreaForestAcres
Canaan LoopMonongahela National Forest7,867
Cranberry AdditionMonongahela National Forest11,123
Cranberry Glades Botanical AreaMonongahela National Forest785
Dry ForkMonongahela National Forest657
Dry River (WV)George Washington National Forest7,331
East Fork Of GreenbrierMonongahela National Forest7,167
Falls Of Hills CreekMonongahela National Forest6,925
Glady ForkMonongahela National Forest3,239
Little MountainMonongahela National Forest8,172
Marlin MountainMonongahela National Forest9,344
Mcgowan MountainMonongahela National Forest10,504
Middle MountainMonongahela National Forest19,020
Seneca CreekMonongahela National Forest22,287
Tea Creek MountainMonongahela National Forest8,295
Turkey MountainMonongahela National Forest6,421
References (8)
  1. Flora of North America Editorial Committee (FNA). 2002a. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 26. Magnoliophyta: Liliidae: Liliales and Orchidales. Oxford Univ. Press, New York. xxvi + 723 pp.
  2. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). 2024. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) data portal. Online. Available: https://www.gbif.org/ (accessed 2024).
  3. iNaturalist. 2024. Online. Available: https://www.inaturalist.org (accessed 2024).
  4. Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
  5. King. M. 2019. Platanthera grandiflora Rare Plant Profile. New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Parks and Forestry, New Jersey Forest Service, Office of Natural Lands Management, New Jersey Natural Heritage Program, Trenton, NJ. 14 pp. [<a href="https://nj.gov/dep/parksandforests/natural/heritage/docs/platanthera-grandiflora-large-purple-fringed-orchid.pdf">https://nj.gov/dep/parksandforests/natural/heritage/docs/platanthera-grandiflora-large-purple-fringed-orchid.pdf</a>]
  6. NatureServe. 2024. NatureServe Network Biodiversity Location Data. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia.
  7. Southern Appalachian Species Viability Project. 2002. A partnership between the U.S. Forest Service-Region 8, Natural Heritage Programs in the Southeast, NatureServe, and independent scientists to develop and review data on 1300+ regionally and locally rare species in the Southern Appalachian and Alabama region. Database (Access 97) provided to the U.S. Forest Service by NatureServe, Durham, North Carolina.
  8. Southwest Environmental Information Network (SEINet). 2024. Collections Databases. Online. Available: https://swbiodiversity.org/seinet/collections/index.php (accessed 2024).