Orchids like this one bloom in the dry, wild parts of my garden (Nanoose Bay, BC) at this time every year but I've never determined their proper name. It looks a lot like photos I've seen of Piperia transversa but I really can't tell for sure. The leaves are gone by the time it blooms and there is no scent I can smell. Can you please help identify it for me?
Well, it's either that or Piperia elongata. I notice in the Illustrated Flora of BC, Piperia elongata is illustrated with withered leaves at bloom time. The lack of fragrance also pushes it into the Piperia elongata territory. See PDF page 36 (document page 28): https://www.for.gov.bc.ca/hfd/pubs/docs/Mr/Mr106.pdf
Thank you for pointing out the similarities between the 2 orchids. I had a good look at Illustrated Flora of BC and then at E-Flora BC. E-Flora doesn't show many Piperia elongata growing on Vancouver Island but lots of locations for P. transversa. Also, the fact that P. elongata is much taller suggests to me that P. transversa is the more likely of the two. I'd better go out this evening and find out if it has a distinguishing clove-like scent.
P. elongata should have green flowers. Compared to P. transversa Even if the P. elongata has somewhat whitish flowers, then the labellum should still be distinctive green. Like on the first photo at Native Orchids of the Pacific Northwest and the Canadian Rockies: Long-spurred Piperia (Platanthera elongata)
What great photos! I wish my camera could capture close-ups like that! I just went out for a sniff of my Piperia and it does have a definite clove-like scent that is said to be a distinguishing characteristic of Piperia transversa. I had to get right down to notice it but it was unmistakable. So now I know. Thanks for your help, Sulev and Daniel.
