Platanthera aquilonis

This is another orchid we found growing with the Lady's Slippers, though in a slightly more sunny area. It is the Northern Green Bog Orchis and though the green Bog Orchids freely interbreed and are often hard to distinguish, this pretty well fits very well the description of that species. The forward-curving spur which is shorter than the lip, the yellowish lip, and within the flower the anther sacs at the base of the flowers and forming a kind of inverted vee shape are all diagnostic. These are, obviously, not as beautiful as the Lady's Slippers but of interest because they are orchids. As the name suggests they like wet areas and are often found in ditches along the road as this was.