Piperia elegans (Lindl.) Rydb.
elegant rein orchid (elegant piperia; seaside rein orchid)
Orchidaceae (Orchid family)
Introduction to Vascular Plants
elegant rein orchid (elegant piperia; seaside rein orchid)
Orchidaceae (Orchid family)
Introduction to Vascular Plants
Species Information
General:
Perennial herb from tubers, 1.5-4.5 cm long, with a few fibrous roots; stems 15-70 cm tall, more than 3 mm wide.
Leaves:
Basal 2 or 3, rarely 4, oblanceolate, 6-30 cm long, 1-7.5 cm wide, blunt-tipped; stem leaves bractlike.
Flowers:
Inflorescence a terminal, spikelike raceme, 3-40 cm long, usually densely-flowered, the flowers small, white to pale green, heavily scented; sepals 4-6.5 mm long, lanceolate, midvein dark green, the upper sepal more or less erect; petals 4-6 mm long, lanceolate, white or pale green with green midvein or base, spreading to erect; lip 3.5-6.5 mm long, lanceolate, more or less curved downward; spur 6-14 mm long, curved, pointed downward; column oblong, about twice as long as wide.
Fruits:
Capsules, ascending to erect, 5-11 mm long.
Illustration
If more than one illustration is available for a species (e.g., separate illustrations were provided for two subspecies) then links to the separate images will be provided below. Note that individual subspecies or varietal illustrations are not always available.
Illustration Source: The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia
Ecology
Ecological Framework for Piperia elegans
The table below shows the species-specific information calculated from
original data (BEC database) provided by the BC Ministry of Forests and Range.
(Updated August, 2013)
The table below shows the species-specific information calculated from
original data (BEC database) provided by the BC Ministry of Forests and Range.
(Updated August, 2013)
| Site Information |
Value / Class |
||
|
Avg |
Min |
Max |
|
| Elevation
(metres) |
1168 | 192 | 1536 |
| Slope
Gradient (%) |
36 | 5 | 70 |
|
Aspect (degrees) |
174 | 134 | 310 |
| Soil
Moisture Regime (SMR) [0 - very xeric; 4 - mesic; 8 - hydric] |
2 | 1 | 6 |
| Modal
Nutrient Regime
Class |
C | ||
| #
of field plots species was recorded in: |
8 | ||
| Modal
BEC Zone Class |
ICH | ||
|
All BEC Zones (# of stations/zone) species was recorded in |
CDF(1), ESSF(1), ICH(2), MH(2), MS(2) | ||
|
Source:
Klinkenberg 2013
|
|||
Habitat and Range
Dry to temporarily moist grassy meadows, depressions, and ditches in the lowland zone; infrequent in SW BC (Vancouver Island) and Queen Charlotte Islands; S to MT, ID, OR and CA.Synonyms
Synonyms and Alternate Names:
Habenaria unalascensis subsp. elata (Jeps.) Calder
Habenaria unalascensis var. elata (Jeps.) Correll
Piperia elegans var. elata (Jeps.) Luer
Piperia lancifolia Rydb.
Piperia longispica Durand
Platanthera unalascensis subsp. elata (Jeps.) Roy L. Taylor & MacBryde