Long-spurred Piperia

This was the third orchid we found on our trip to the Olympics, the Long-spurred Piperia, Piperia elongata. We found many of these along the Humes Ranch trail in the Elwha Valley, an area of Olympic National Park we had not hiked before. These flower spikes are a a foot to a foot and a half tall (30-45cm) and by the time the flowers open the leaves at the base of the plant have withered away leaving the flower spike standing alone.