Monday, November 1, 2010
Lesser Rattlesnake Orchis (Goodyera repens)
The Lesser Rattlesnake Orchis, Goodyera repens does not grow in Washington, but in the northwest reaches the southern limit of its range in British Columbia. Further east it grows as far south as the Appalachian Mountains, and is widespread, growing in Europe and Asia as well.
We see its cousin, the Giant Rattlesnake Orchis (giant only in comparison) on almost every hike, and we've seen this also on our numerous trips to the Canadian Rockies, but never in bloom. This year we were late enough to see it in bloom for the first time at Mount Robson Provincial Park.
It has a tiny rosette of about half a dozen leaves, beautifully reticulated in the plants we saw, but often hidden in the moss in which it grows. The flower spikes were 30 cm or less on the plants we saw and carried several dozen 2 cm crystalline white flowers, with a hairy exterior.
We thought it daintier and more attractive than its larger cousin, but that may only have been because we were seeing it for the first time. We found it all along the trail at all elevations and always in relatively protected and shady locations, even in some cases in a layer of moss on the rocks.