Platanthera ciliaris

Platanthera ciliaris [Orange Fringed Orchid]

A Spicebush Swallowtail [Papilio troilus] Butterfly in the act of pollinating Platanthera ciliars. You can see, attached to the eye pollinarium, which it has unknowingly removed from the flower. The pollinarium, the male part of the flower, contains the pollinia which will hopefully brush up against and come into contact with the stigma [the female part of the flower] of the next flower it visits.

In this series of pictures we see a Spicebush Swallowtail [Papilio troilus] Butterfly in the act of pollinating Platanthera ciliars. You can see, attached to the eye pollinarium, which it has unknowingly removed from the flower. The pollinarium, the male part of the flower, contains the pollinia which will hopefully brush up against and come into contact with the stigma [the female part of the flower] of the next flower it visits.

This set of pictures shows Spicebush Swallowtails [Papilio troilus] pollinating Orange Fringed Orchids [Platanthera ciliaris]. You can see pollinarium [the male part of the flower] attached to the butterflies eyes in some of the pictures. When the butterflies leave the flower they pull the pollinarium [which is full of pollen] from the flower out of the anther sack, which is now stuck to it's eye. Then moving to a second flower brushes the pollen [on the tip of the pollinarium] onto the stigma [the female par] of the flower. In this way pollination has been achieved.

These pictures show the pollination of Orange Fringed Orchid [Platanthera ciliaris] by a Spicebush Swallowtail [Papilio troilus]. As the Butterfly sticks its proboscis deep into the flowers spur, its eye comes into contact with the anther sack, and the viscidium, which is sticky [picture 1]. When it leaves the flower it pulls the pollinarium [the male part] from the flower out of the anther sack, which is now stuck to it's eye [picture 2]. When the Butterfly enters a second flowers the end of the pollinarium, which is made up of tiny grains of pollen, brushes up against the stigma, the female part of the flower, and deposits the pollen [picture 3, grains of pollen on the stigma]. In this way pollination has been achieved, the truly amazing world of orchid pollination.

Orange Fringed Orchid [Platanthera ciliaris]. Southeast, Pa. 7-31-22

Orange Fringed Orchid [Platanthera ciliaris]. Southeast, Pa. 7-31-22. Unknown bee, pictured above and blow, on the same flower. Not the pollinator for this orchid, but notice the pollen from an unknown flower on its feet in the picture above seems to disappear by the picture below as the unknown pollen falls off. The tiny things that we that never see, never fails to fascinate.

Orange Fringed Orchid [Platanthera ciliaris]. Southeast, Pa. 7-31-22

Orange Fringed Orchid [Platanthera ciliars, yellow form]. Southeast, Pa.7-31-22

Orange Fringed Orchid [Platanthera ciliars, yellow form]. In an area never known for hybrids between Orange Fringed Orchids [Platanthera ciliaris] and White Fringed Orchids [Platanthera blephariglottis] As there are no White fringed in the area. I found these two yellow beauties. It is only the second time in over 30 years of watching this site that I have found a unusual color form, the other time was 1996, and one single plant was a cream to almost white color. Southeast, Pa. 7-31-22

Spice Bush Swallowtail Butterfly [Papilio troilus] on Orange Fringed Orchid [Platanthera ciliars, yellow form]. Southeast, Pa. 7-31-22. You can just see Pollinarium struck to the butterflies left eye.

Spice Bush Swallowtail Butterfly [Papilio troilus] on Orange Fringed Orchid [Platanthera ciliars, [yellow form]]. Southeast, Pa. 7-31-22. You can just see Pollinarium struck to the butterflies left eye.

Orange Fringed Orchid [Platanthera ciliars]. In an area never known for hybrids between Orange Fringed Orchids [Platanthera ciliaris] and White Fringed Orchids [Platanthera blephariglottis] As there are no White fringed in the area. I found these two yellow beauties. It is only the second time in over 30 years of watching this site that I have found a unusual color form, the other time was 1996, and one single plant was a cream to almost white color. Southeast, Pa. 7-31-22

Orange Fringed Orchid [Platanthera ciliars, yellow form], lower left. In an area never known for hybrids between Orange Fringed Orchids [Platanthera ciliaris], upper right, and White Fringed Orchids [Platanthera blephariglottis] As there are no White fringed in the area. I found these two yellow beauties. It is only the second time in over 30 years of watching this site that I have found a unusual color form, the other time was 1996, and one single plant was a cream to almost white color. Southeast, Pa. 7-31-22