Orchidaceae FAMILY

Platanthera dilatata

Edibility

3/5

Medicinal

2/5

Safety & Hazards

The leaves are considered to be poisonous by some Native American tribes[ 257 Title Native American Ethnobotany Publication Author Moerman. D. Publisher Timber Press. Oregon. Year 1998 ISBN 0-88192-453-9 Description Very comprehensive but terse guide to the native uses of plants. Excellent bibliography, fully referenced to each plant, giving a pathway to further information. Not for the casual reader. ].

Botanical Description

Platanthera dilatata is a herbaceous, perennial orchid growing from a fleshy rootstock with stems that can be 11 - 130cm or more tall[ 270 Title Flora of N. America Publication Author Website http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/fna/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An on-line version of the flora with an excellent description of the plant including a brief mention of plant uses. ]. The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine.

Habitat & Origin

Origintemperate

Native RangeWestern and eastern N. America - Alaska to California, Colorado and New Mexico; Manitoba to Newfoundland, south to Missouri and New York.

HabitatWet soils of swamps, bogs, banks of springs and streams[ 212 Title A Field Guide to Rocky Mountain Wildflowers Publication Author Craighead. J., Craighead. F. and Davis. R. Publisher The Riverside Press Year 1963 ISBN 63-7093 Description Excellent little pocket guide to the area, covering 590 species and often giving details of their uses. ]. Wet meadows, tundra, marshes, fens, stream banks, shores, ditches, seeping slopes, roadsides; at elevations from sea level to 3,100 metres[ 270 Title Flora of N. America Publication Author Website http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/fna/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An on-line version of the flora with an excellent description of the plant including a brief mention of plant uses. ].