Spotted Coralroot Corallorhiza maculata Orchid family (Orchidaceae)
Spotted Coralroot often grows in dense colonies. In the early spring look for clumps of dark red stalks of last year's plant, soon to be replaced by yellow-red stalks and new blossoms. These stalks can be confused with those of Pterospora andromedea (Woodland Pinedrops) but the latter are usually much stouter. The plant does not photosynthesize, but instead lives off fungi. Corallorhiza means "coralroot" in reference to a hard mass of that associate with fungi in the soil to absorb nutrients. "Maculata" is Latin for "spotted."
, 7-24" tall, producing small or large clumps of erect, yellow-red stems. Leaves minute, -like. Flowers arranged on upper portion of the stem in a loose open . The lip petal and 2 on either side are white with purple spots, while the upper 2 petals and 3 are pink-red. Leaves are reduced to semi-transparent . As the plant goes to seed, the flowers become thick and stout and droop downward with the whole plant becoming red-brown. Plant stalks can persist through winter.
