Phantom Orchid

The Phantom Orchid, Cephalanthera austiniae, is the only species of the genus in North America (Europe has numerous species). It is found along the west coast of North America from California to British Columbia and unlike its European cousins is leafless and without chlorophyll, depending on a symbiotic relationship with a fungus to obtain nutrients from decaying organic matter. Because it has no chlorophyll it is often found on dark forest floors where little else is growing and where it stands out dramatically.

Traveling along the Columbia River we hiked in the area of Dog Mountain and went to see these especially where they were growing with various Coralroots, also leafless and without chlorophyll. It was a very windy day and in taking pictures we had to contend not only with the wind but with the poor light in which these were growing. In many parts of their range they are rare, British Columbia having but a couple of closely monitored locations, but they are not rare in the Columbia River gorge or in California and we would see them again as traveled south.