Fading Phantom

Day 286: Better late than never, I suppose. Because my botany partners were unavailable until next week when the temperatures are due to rise again, I went alone today on the annual pilgrimage to Cephalanthera austiniae, the Phantom Orchid. The five stems were well past their prime, in one case entirely bare of flowers or pods. I gave the area a thorough search in the hopes of turning up more, but to no avail. I think perhaps Phantom is going into hiding again. It can stay dormant for up to 25 years. Another conclusion can be drawn from this morning's exploit: I'm getting too old to heave myself over one log, just to have to belly-crawl under the next one. Unlike Cephalanthera, I don't think I'd benefit from dormancy.