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Western Coralroot

Like the other Coralroots, this species, too, is mycotrophic, feeding off decaying material in the soil through a fungus. The plants are leafless and without chlorophyll and grow on dark forest floors where there is little other growth. This species is also very variable, the stems varying in color from pink to white to yellow to tan to purple and the flowers equally variable. Some of the color variation is visible in this clump both in stem color and in the markings of the lip. These were photographed in Deception Pass State Park.

nativeorchidsofthepacificnorthwest.blogspot.com/2013/05/seventh-week-of-native-orchid-season.html
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5 comments

Don Sutherland said:

Outstanding capture.
11 years ago

Fizgig said:

Wonderful lineup of little flowers! Nicely captured!
11 years ago ( translate )

Treasa Ui Cionaodha said:

Beautiful array of these subjects. Well done Ron. Up there with your best. As always lovely to see you postream filled with fantastic images. Hugs Tess.
11 years ago

RHH said:

The flowers are quite small, around an inch (3cm) in size, but the plants are a foot or more tall (30cm+).
11 years ago

RHH said:

These are amazing plants. They grow on dark forest floors where very often nothing else is growing but the trees and they appear out of nowhere with no leaves and only the flower spikes. We have five species of Coralroots here in Washington and another mycotrophic orchid called the Phantom Orchid which is bone white with a yellow splash on the lip.
11 years ago