Anne Elliott's photos with the keyword: Early Coralroot

Supermacro shot of a teeny Early Coralroot flower. This is an easily-overlooked wild Orchid, but what a glorious surprise to those who take a close look at an individual flower. Barely visible without a hand lens or camera, but so pretty when seen as a macro shot. Photographed in Weaselhead on June 14th. Posting really early this morning as, all being well, I will be out on a very long day trip way south of the city, to explore the flora and fauna of Plateau Mountain. Later: had a lovely day examining the flora and fauna of Plateau Mountain, though an 11-hour day is a long day, even more so as I have such poor endurance these days! It's about a two and a half hour drive there (I didn't drive, but many thanks, Arnold!). These long, warm days of fresh air and exercise totally knock me out, lol! Those who knew Jim Dubois (Garnite), personally or through Flickr, are hoping to raise enough money to pay for a memorial bench in the Campbell River area, B.C.. This would be a perfect tribute to this kind, humorous, good man, who did so much towards educating about and protecting the environment. www.flickr.com/groups/1655195@N20/discuss/72157627099416364/

This is the tiniest wild Orchid you could imagine seeing. So easy to miss it, unless your eyes are scanning every inch of ground. We saw this particular plant at the Hibernaculum at Shannon Terrace, Fish Creek Park, recently. We also saw one on a beautiful walk today, north west of the city, to a Provincial Park that is yet not open to the public (and probably won't be for another 1-3 years?). How privileged we were to be allowed to botanize this extensive area. It's called the Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park and is incredibly beautiful land. Will add a link to information about it when I get home this evening - I'm about to dash out down a few gravel backroads : ) I can't take one more step, so driving a car sounds just what I need. "There are 3 to 15 flowers in a loose cluster at stem tip; individual flowers about 1 cm long, yellowish-white to greenish or even purple, 6 floral parts with a white lobed lip (occasionally spotted with purple); appearing early summer..... Infrequent but widespread; in shaded forest habitats, in thickets, fens, swamps and on streambanks; especially on fresh/moist mineral soils." www.borealforest.org/herbs/herb10.htm

This tiny, wild Orchid surprised me when I cropped my photo and enlarged it. I had never seen the tiny spots on a white flower before. The average person would never notice the plant, but what beauty is seen if one is able to see an individual flower up close.

We were first attracted to this tiny plant by it's bright, light green colour. Took this photo today and the green "asparagus-like" stalks now have attractive, tiny, mostly pale greenish-yellow flowers. Today was not conducive to kneeling to take a supermacro - it was raining and snowing (21st May!). "Plant is widespread, abundant and easily located in a variety of wooded situations. Tends to form large clumps and extensive colonies. It is the only member of this genus with distinctively yellowish-green colouring in the stem and flowers. Later in the season, the orchid remains recognizable because it develops fat yellowish drooping seed pods." From Canadian Native Orchids website.