Corallorhiza Maculata

Day 237: Several species of Coralroot occur in Mount Rainier National Park. Of the more common ones, Corallorhiza maculata is my favourite. This mycoheterotroph displays a white lower petal marked with dark purple freckles and looks more like a tropical orchid than its cousins. Local specimens are generally shorter than C. mertensiana (the Coralroot most often seen), although in optimum growing conditions, its copper-coloured stems can reach heights of 30 cm.

Every year, I hope that somewhere in my travels, I'll find a specimen of C. striata within the boundaries of the Park. The only report of the species was subsequently proved in error. A specimen identified as C. striata was in fact C. mertensiana. Mycoheterotrophic plants are often very selective about their fungal associations, which no doubt accounts for the rarity of the species. Anybody know of research being done to determine which fungi are associated with specific Corallorhiza species?