Platanthera dilatata
species of plant
Platanthera dilatata, known as tall white bog orchid, bog candle, or boreal bog orchid is a species of orchid, a flowering plant in the family Orchidaceae, native to North America. It was first formally described in 1813 by Frederick Traugott Pursh as Orchis dilatata.
It is sometimes called fragrant white bog orchid or scentbottle, for the smell of its flowers, described as intensely spicy or clove-like.
In the Midwest and northeastern United States and Canada, it grows in cold, calcareous fens, cedar and tamarack swamps, meadows, and marshes, typically in sunny spots.
Description
Bog candle is an erect, perennial flower growing up to 11–130 cm (4.3–51.2 in) tall. The showy, white flowers are clustered on long spikes. The petals are ovate to linear-lance shaped with smooth edges, not divided or fringed like some other Platanthera species. The lateral sepals spread or reflex.
The leaves are linear to lanceolate or oblanceolate, and reduce in size toward the top of the plant. The leave size ranges from 3–32 cm (1.2–12.6 in) long to 0.3–7 cm (0.12–2.76 in) across.
“Platanthera dilatata” enters the record as species of plant. Crown Archives preserves that source wording while asking what Platanthera, dilatata and species can confirm, complicate or overturn.
Why this record matters
“Platanthera dilatata” is worth following because a concise public description often conceals a longer documentary argument. Here, Platanthera, dilatata and species provides the most credible route into that argument.
The date and method of observation matter as much as the stated conclusion, especially where classification or consensus has changed. The source revision retrieved here is dated Nov 4, 2025. The linked authority identifier is Q6078083. None of the 0 selected statements returned an explicit reference. The first chronological checks are 1813.
Scientific names, classifications and consensus can change while older terminology persists in catalogues and historical literature. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Check terminology, classification and the date of the cited evidence. Scientific names and technical consensus can change while older records retain historical value.
- Current terminology
- Classification context
- Finding cited technical literature
Primary datasets, specimen catalogues, standards bodies and the most recent peer-reviewed literature.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Platanthera dilatata”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Platanthera dilatata primary sources, Platanthera dilatata archive and Platanthera research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Platanthera dilatata”?
- Has classification or technical consensus changed since the cited source?
- Which observation, specimen, dataset or publication supports the account?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Platanthera dilatata” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.