Distribution: Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; British Columbia to California, east to Idaho and Montana.
Habitat: Mostly in dry, open woods and hills where moist in spring.
Flowers: June-September
Origin: Native
Growth Duration: Perennial
Conservation Status: Not of concern
Pollination: Self-pollination, flies
Scapose perennials with 1-2 tubers, the stems stout, 2-6 dm. tall.
1-3, basal, up to 20 cm. long and 3.5 cm. broad, oblanceolate and tapering to the sheathing base.
A many-flowered, spicate raceme up to 8 cm. long; scapes bracteate, the bracts lanceolate, often exceeding the lower flowers.
Sepals thin, greenish-white, 3.5-5 mm. long, 1-nerved, the upper one erect, triangular-lanceolate, the lateral pair oblong-lanceolate and somewhat reflexed; petals about the same length as the upper sepal, greenish or white with a green median stripe, erect; lip fleshy, white, lanceolate, slightly hastate at the base and partially fused with the lateral sepals and petals; spur slender, tapering from the base, 2-3 times as long as the lip, pale green at the base, darker green at the tip; stamens and style fused to form a column 1.5 mm. long.
PNW Herbaria: Specimen records of Platanthera elegans in the Consortium of Pacific Northwest Herbaria database
WA Flora Checklist: Platanthera elegans checklist entry
OregonFlora: Platanthera elegans information
E-Flora BC: Platanthera elegans atlas page
CalPhotos: Platanthera elegans photos