Corallorhiza maculata

Corallorhiza maculata
Corallorhiza maculata
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Orchidaceae
Subfamily: Epidendroideae
Tribe: Maxillarieae
Subtribe: Corallorhizinae
Genus: Corallorhiza
Species: C. maculata
Binomial name
Corallorhiza maculata
Raf.

Corallorhiza maculata, or spotted coralroot, is a North American coralroot orchid flower. Varieties are also known as western coralroot and summer coralroot. It is found from Mexico and Baja California, through California and most of the United States except the Southeast, and across Canada. It grows mostly in montane woodlands.

Contents

Description

The Corallorhiza maculata side petals are reddish, and the lip petal is bright clean white with deep red spots.

This orchid is a myco-heterotroph; it lacks chlorophyll and gets food by parasitizing the mycelium of fungi in the family Russulaceae. The rhizome and lower stem are often knotted into branched coral shapes. The stem is usually red or brown in color, but occasionally comes in a light yellow or cream color. There are no leaves and no photosynthetic green tissues. The stalklike stems bear dark red scales and intricate orchid flowers.

The Corallorhiza maculata flowers are small and emerge regularly from all sides of the stem. The sepals are dark red or brown tinged with purple, long and pointed. The side petals are reddish, and the lip petal is bright clean white with deep red spots. It is usually lobed or toothed on the side and 7–10 mm. In some varieties, the lip is plain white without spots.

Uses

Several Native American groups historically used the orchid's stems dried and brewed as a tea for such maladies as colds, pneumonia, and skin irritation.

External links

Further reading

Taylor, D.L. & T.D. Bruns. (1997). Independent, specialized invasions of ectomycorrhizal mutualism by two nonphotosynthetic orchids. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA vol. 94 pp. 4510-4515.


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Corallorhiza maculata —   Corallorhiza maculata …   Wikipedia Español

  • Corallorhiza maculata — Corallorhize maculée, Corallorhize occidentale Corallorhiza maculata …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Corallorhiza maculata — ID 20989 Symbol Key COMA25 Common Name summer coralroot Family Orchidaceae Category Monocot Division Magnoliophyta US Nativity Native to U.S. US/NA Plant Yes State Distribution AZ, CA, CO, CT, DE, GA, IA, ID, IL, IN, KY, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MT,… …   USDA Plant Characteristics

  • Corallorhiza maculata var. maculata — ID 20991 Symbol Key COMAM7 Common Name summer coralroot Family Orchidaceae Category Monocot Division Magnoliophyta US Nativity Native to U.S. US/NA Plant Yes State Distribution AZ, CA, CO, CT, DE, GA, IA, ID, IL, IN, KY, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MT,… …   USDA Plant Characteristics

  • Corallorhiza maculata var. occidentalis — ID 21187 Symbol Key COMAO5 Common Name summer coralroot Family Orchidaceae Category Monocot Division Magnoliophyta US Nativity Native to U.S. US/NA Plant Yes State Distribution AZ, CA, CO, ID, MA, ME, MI, MN, MT, ND, NE, NH, NM, NV, NY, OR, PA,… …   USDA Plant Characteristics

  • Corallorhiza maculata var. ozettensis — ID 21197 Symbol Key COMAO6 Common Name N/A Family Orchidaceae Category Monocot Division Magnoliophyta US Nativity Native to U.S. US/NA Plant Yes State Distribution WA Growth Habit Forb/herb Duratio …   USDA Plant Characteristics

  • Corallorhiza maculata — noun common coral root having yellowish or reddish or purplish brown leafless stems bearing loose racemes of similarly colored flowers with white purple spotted lips; Guatemala to Canada • Syn: ↑spotted coral root • Hypernyms: ↑coral root …   Useful english dictionary

  • Corallorhiza maculata (Raf.) Raf. var. maculata — Symbol COMAM7 Common Name summer coralroot Botanical Family Orchidaceae …   Scientific plant list

  • Corallorhiza maculata (Raf.) Raf. var. maculata — Symbol COMAM7 Common Name summer coralroot Botanical Family Orchidaceae …   Scientific plant list

  • Corallorhiza maculata (Raf.) Raf. — Symbol COMA25 Common Name summer coralroot Botanical Family Orchidaceae …   Scientific plant list

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