Cephalanthera austinae

This is the Phantom Orchid, Cephalanthera austiniae, one of the most unusual of our native orchids and also quite rare across much of its range. The plant is mycoheterotrophic, totally without chlorophyll, bone white, with only a spot of orange color in the lip and leafless, rising from forest floors like a phantom and then disappearing again.

We went to a location in southern Washington where these are abundant, and found a lot of them but only one plant in bloom. We then went another location and found photography there very difficult. The Phantoms were in bloom at the second location, a lot of them, but on a dark forest with a stiff breeze blowing and the forest floor full of Poison Oak.

We managed, both of us, to avoid the Poison Oak (thankfully, since it can be nasty) and to contend with the low light and the breeze and get some pictures. I used a Litedisc reflector to help with the light, but also shot most of the photos at a much higher ISO than usual. Had to throw a lot of pictures away but a few turned out well enough to keep.

Cephalanthera is a European genus primarily and this is the only species from that genus found in the Americas and it is unique even among its European cousins with its lack of chlorophyll and leaves, though there are European species with white flowers. It certainly is a species that once seen, will never be forgotten and one of the jewels of our northwest forests.