Rattlesnake Plantain Orchid (Goodyera pubescens)

Recent visit to one of South Carolina upstate's Heritage Preserves.

This was the real reason for going to the Heritage Preserve. This orchid usually blooms around mid-July, but since so many of our wildflowers were blooming early this year, I didn't want to miss it.

Turns out that this is the best year I have ever seen for this species. Normally, only one out of ten plants would be in bloom, but this year, about nine out of ten are in bloom!