RHH's photos with the keyword: obtusata

This one one of several orchids we found while in Alaska, but not a new species for us. This grows as far south as northern Washington and we've seen it in British Columbia and Alberta as well. It is a small plant, around 20 cm tall with flowers that are not very showy, though beautiful when seen up close. This example was photographed in Denali National Park along the Meadow View trail near the visitor's center, but we saw it also in Kenai Fjords National Park near Seward. Its botanical name is Platanthera obtusata var. obtusata.

This is the Blunt-leafed Rein Orchis, Platanthera obtusata, photographed along the Berg Lake trail in British Columbia's Mount Robson Provincial Park. That is the only place we have seen this species which ranges east to the Great Lakes region and to Massachusetts. The plant is around a foot tall with a single leaf held near the ground and with flowers somewhat less than an inch in size. And notice the tiny little beetle on the top flower!

Platanthera obtusata is rather common in some areas and not a very large plant, but beautiful up close. This was photographed on the Berg Lake Trail in Mount Robson Provincial Park, British Columbia. It grows and blooms in profusion in the woods on the east side of Kinney Lake. nativeorchidsofthepacificnorthwest.blogspot.com/2011/08/p...