Western prairie fringed orchid

The plant arises from a fleshy tuber. It grows from 1.25 to 3 feet tall . Each plant can have up to two dozen or more flowers arranged in a stalk. P. praeclara is distinguished from Platanthera leucophaea, the eastern prairie fringed orchid, by its slightly larger flowers, petal shape, and longer nectar spur.

populations of western prairie fringed orchid occur in rich, deep-soil upland prairies. Outside Missouri, it has been found in pastures, ditches, and cultivated fields and seems to tolerate some disturbance. The western prairie fringed orchid was historically located in the western region of the state along several of Missouri's rivers. Populations were observed in western portions of the Ozark region, in the Osage Plains region, and along the northwestern portion of the Missouri River. More

major population decline of the Western prairie fringed orchid in Iowa. IDALS Logo Funding Provided by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship. Mailing Address: IDALS, Wallace State Office Building, 502 E. More