Ontario Wildflowers website

Smaller Purple Fringed Orchid
Platanthera psycodes
(formerly Habenaria psycodes)

Other common names: Small Purple Fringed Orchis, Smaller Purple Fringed Orchis

Other scientific names: Habenaria psycodes, Blephariglottis psycodes, Orchis fimbriata, Orchis psycodes

French names: Habénaire papillon

Family: Orchid Family (Orchidaceae)

Group: Orchids

Distinctive features: A small orchid. Purple flowers with a fringed lip. Wet areas.

Similar species:
  •   White Fringed Orchid (Platanthera blephariglottis) - white flowers.

  •   Large Purple-fringed Orchid (Platanthera grandiflora) - larger.


Flowers: Summer;  Blue/Violet;  Irregular flowers;  Purple/magenta flowers. Lip conspicuously fringed and lobed. Flower cluster less than 2" thick.

Leaves: Typical orchid leaves.

Height: 25-50 cm (10-20 in)

Habitat: Wet Areas;  Wet areas.

Books: Newcomb's Wildflower Guide: 42    Peterson's Field Guide to Wildflowers: 224, 242    ROM Field Guide to Wildflowers of Ontario: 99   

Native/Non-native: Native

Photographs: 383 photographs available, of which 6 are featured on this page. SCROLL DOWN FOR PHOTOGRAPHS.

Range Map is at the bottom of the page

Smaller Purple Fringed Orchid (Platanthera psycodes)

Beautiful purple-magenta flowers, in a spike.

This photo was taken at the beginning of July.

Smaller Purple Fringed Orchid (Platanthera psycodes)

This is the same plant two weeks later. As you can see, it is in bloom for quite awhile.

Smaller Purple Fringed Orchid (Platanthera psycodes)

This is another plant, in the third week of July. This photo was actually taken in Newfoundland.

Smaller Purple Fringed Orchid (Platanthera psycodes)

Flowers in bud (end of June).

Smaller Purple Fringed Orchid (Platanthera psycodes)

Closeup of an individual flower. Note the three comspicuous lobes, which are fringed.

Smaller Purple Fringed Orchid (Platanthera psycodes)

Photo of the whole plant.

Note the typical orchid leaves. Orchids are Monocots, which have parallel veins in their leaves parallel, and flower parts in multiples of three.


Range map for Smaller Purple Fringed Orchid (Platanthera psycodes)

PLEASE NOTE: A coloured Province or State means this species occurs somewhere in that Province/State.
The entire Province/State is coloured, regardless of where in that Province/State it occurs.

(Range map provided courtesy of the USDA website and is displayed here in accordance with their Policies)