Al Schneider's Rocky Mountains Plant Descriptions

Striped Coralroot
Corallorhiza striata
Orchid family (Orchidaceae)

Striped Coralroot lacks green leaves and chlorophyll and cannot photosynthesize. As parasites, they get their nutrients from soil fungi and die when removed from this association. They are, therefore, rarely cultivated or transplanted successfully. C. striata flowers are about 1 1/2 times the size of the flowers of C. maculata; the flowers of striata tend to be more spherical in overall shape; the lip of the flowers of striata is entire, that of C. maculata is often wavy edged and has two prominent near its base; and overall striata flowers have a blue/yellow cast to them and maculata has a pink/white/yellow cast. "Maculata" means "spotted" and its flowers are indeed spotted; "striata" means "striped" and its flowers are indeed striped. Isn't it wonderful how some things work out so nicely.


©2011 Walter Siegmund

Description

, 6-21" tall, with an erect, purple stem topped with -like consisting of 7-25 flowers. Leaves minute, -like. Flowers have conspicuous red-brown to purple stripes. Leaves are thin, semi-transparent . Grows singly or in small groups.

Field Marks

Erect purple stem with red-brown striped flowers.

© Al Schneider

scale -- A very small leaf around a dormant bud. Also other things that might remind one of fish scales on the surface of ferns, stems and the like.

A perennial plant lives and blooms for many years.

lobe -- A rounded parts of a leaf (or other organ).

A herb is a plant whose stems die back to the ground in the winter.

lateral -- attached to the side of an organ, for instance leaves or branches on a stem.

A parasitic plant derives some or all of its nutritional requirements from another living plant.

A spike is an unbranched, indeterminate inflorescence in which the flowers are without stalks.

sheath -- a tubular or rolled part of an organ, e.g. the lower part of the leaf in most grasses.

A raceme is an unbranched, indeterminate type of inflorescence bearing flowers having short floral stalks along its axis.