Western Coralroot

The Western Coralroot, Corallorhiza mertensiana, is well named since it is found only in the far western United States and Canada and because its "roots" do look like a mass of coral when dug up. It is mycotrophic, living off decaying matter in the soil through a relationship with a fungus and is leafless and without chlorophyll. It is always a delight to find since it comes in an endless variety of colors, as the photos below show. The color form shown above is more or less typical, but many other color forms are shown below at the link I've posted.

nativeorchidsofthepacificnorthwest.blogspot.com/2012/09/color-forms-of-western-coralroot.html