Day 222: Although it's not as rare as some of the other species Team Biota has found in Mount Rainier National Park, Corallorhiza trifida is nevertheless more rare than "uncommon." It is a member of the Orchidaceae, but is significantly smaller than its well-known cousins, C. mertensiana and C. maculata. Mature stems seldom reach more than 6-8" in height. To date, we have found it in three locations closely linked by soil type. That said, plants have only emerged at one of the sites this year: a total of 11 stems, 10 of which are likely to be sharing the same mycorrhizal structure. Six are in the tight cluster shown here. Why the other sites have not been productive this year is a mystery. One of them should also have held a healthy population of Calypso Orchids, but only a few were seen. Another rare Corallorhiza is reputed to occur in the Park, although the only existing herbarium specimen proved to be misidentified. That species (Corallorhiza striata) is on my Plant Bucket List for sure. If it really does occur in the Park, I will find it some day, and I won't need to post it. You'll hear me yell, "I've got striata!"
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