Day 214: When people hear the word "orchid," their minds immediately conjure up images of sweet-scented corsages and magnificently coloured large flowers, but the family includes many other less flamboyant species and many of them live in the Pacific Northwest. The tallest of our Orchidaceae are the Corallorhizas, as is one of the smallest and rarest. The showiest by far is Calypso which even resembles a corsage orchid, but on a one-inch scale. Our forests are full of orchids if you know where and how to look for them! One of the tiniest members of the family is fairly common: Heart-Leaved Twayblade (Listera cordata). To put the size of its blossoms into perspective, compare the little black wasp engaged in pollinating the lowest flower in this image.
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