Red and Green Forms of the Western Heart-leaved Twayblade

The Western Heart-leaved Twayblade, Listera cordata var. nephrophylla, is one of our smallest native orchids. It is found in two forms, the ordinary green form and a reddish form, fma. rubescens, often found growing together as they are here. The flowers are around half an inch in size, so small as to go unnoticed by most, though the plant is quite common. The plant has two heart-shaped, opposite leaves half-way up the stem which can be seen in some of the pictures at the link below. This example was photographed at Lake Elizabeth in the North Cascades.

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