Platanthera bifolia (L.) Rich.

Jarvis, Charlie, 2007, Chapter 7: Linnaean Plant Names and their Types (part O), Order out of Chaos. Linnaean Plant Types and their Types, London: Linnaean Society of London in association with the Natural History Museum, pp. 696-717 : 705

Orchis bifolia Linnaeus , Species Plantarum 2: 939. 1753.

"Habitat in Europae pascuis asperis." RCN: 6806.

Lectotype ( Løjtnant in Feddes Repert. 89: 14. 1978): Herb. Linn. No. 1054.15 ( LINN) .

Current name: Platanthera bifolia (L.) Rich. ( Orchidaceae ).

Note: Baumann & al. (in Mitteilungsbl. Arbeitskr. Heim. Orchid. Baden-Wiirttemberg 21: 540, Abb. 43. 1989) rejected the earlier typification by Løjtnant because they believed the type to be a post-1753 addition to the herbarium, and designated a Mattioli illustration in its place. However, the sheet treated as the type by Løjtnant was annotated by Linnaeus with “bifolia” and “3”, the number corresponding with the account of this species (i.e. Orchis no. 3) in Species Plantarum, and there is nothing to suggest that it was not in Linnaeus’ possession by 1753. The annotation "Sw. 9" is a much later addition by James Edward Smith. Consequently, Løjtnant’s typification, which has priority over that of Baumann & al., is accepted here.