Corallorhiza trifida Chatelain

by Jeff Hapeman

Forma:

Synonyms:

Common name: Northern Coral-root,Early Coral-root

Derivation: trifida (three part cleft) referring to the lobed lip

Plant: terrestrial, saprophytic, 8-30cm, leafless yellowish - greenish white stem

Flowers: lax raceme with up to 20 small yellowish green flowers, white three lobed lip with purple spots

Bloomtimes: May thru July

Habitat: tundra, sphagnum bogs and wet woods

Comments: includes var. verna (Nuttall) Fernald; commonly forms large clumps

Distribution Range: Alaska to Newfoundland south to Oregon, south in Rocky Mountains, east to West Virginia; Eurasia

Reported in Plumas County, California

western states distribution

Links to Other Images:

Wisconsin gopher a large habitat image

Italian Orchids habitat

Italian Orchids detail

Italian Orchids detail

Herbaria accessions:

Specimen 1 image available

Specimen 2 image available

Specimen 3

References:
• Field Guide to Orchids of North America; John G. Williams & Andrew E. Williams; Universe Books 1983; pg. 113-114
• The Native Orchids of the United States and Canada Excluding Florida; Carlyle A. Luer; The New York Botanical Garden; pg. 322
• The Jepson Manual:higher plants of California; James C Hichman; Univ. of California Press; pg. 1211-1218
• Blooming Seasons for Wild Orchids in California; Ronald A. Coleman; Am. Orchid Soc. Bull. Vol. 60:9; Sep. 91; pg. 876-879
• A Disjunct Location for Corallorhiza trifida var. verna; Ronald A. Coleman; Am. Orchid So. Bull. Vol. 60:4; Apr. 91; pg. 329-330
• The Coral-roots; Philip E. Keenan; Am. Orchid Soc. Bull. Vol. 63:5; May 95; pg. 512-517
• Orchids of Minnesota; Welby R. Smith; Minn. Dept. of Natural Resources 1993; pg. 61
• Wild Orchids of California; Ronald A Coleman; Cornell Univesity Press 1995; pg. 56-58
• Orchids of Indiana; M. A. Homoya; Indiana Academy of Sciences 1993; pg. 85-88
• Orchids of the Western Great Lakes Region; F.W. Case, Jr.; Cranbrook Institute of Science 1987; pg. 225-227
• Orchids of Ontario; R.E. Whiting & P.M. Catling; CanaColl Foundation 1986: pg. 96
• Wild Orchids of the Middle Atlantic States; O.W. Gupton & F.C. Swope; Univesity of Tenn. Press 1986; pg. 57

Last Modified: Sunday, August 17, 1997