Fischer’s orchid

Orchis aristata Fischer ex Lindley, Gen. Sp. Orchid. Pl., 262. 1835; Dactylorhiza aristata var. kodiakensis Luer & G. M. Luer

Plants 5–40 cm. Leaves 2–5; blade often purple-spotted or suffused with purple, proximal blade 3–18 × 1–6 cm. Inflorescences: floral bracts lanceolate, 15–50 × 5–15 mm, the larger often suffused with purple, extending well beyond flowers. Flowers magenta, pink, or white; sepals prominently oblique and erect at base, upwardly curving forward or downward, ovate-lanceolate, 9–11(–13) × 3–6 mm, awned; petals ovate-lanceolate, 6–9 × 3–4 mm, awned; lip often magenta- to red-spotted, suborbiculate to obcordate, 8–12 × 8–12 mm, shallowly 3-lobed or entire, tip of middle lobe apiculate; spur 5.5–7.5 mm, 1/2–2/3 as long as ovary. 2n = 40, 42.

Flowering late spring--mid summer. Moist open tundra, meadows, bogs; 0--800 m; Alaska; e Asia (Russian Far East).

Dactylorhiza aristata var. kodiakensis has been separated primarily on the basis of its being uniform instead of variable like the typical variety (C. A. Luer 1975); supplementary characters all partially overlap. While this variety is not recognized here, variability in the Alaskan Fischer’s orchids merits detailed taxonomic study.