Common Names: Pacific Coralroot, Western Coralroot, Mertens' Coralroot

No varieties

from eFlora.org
In the Pacific Northwest Corallorhiza mertensiana is largely sympatric with C. maculata and occasionally intergrades with it. It frequently forms large clumps.

Note lack of white in the flowers (from a few feet back it looks pinkish), generally stems are much more red than C. maculata. The flowers are small and delicate, with the lower flower petal generally showing dark veins, (some books give three, here four), two center veins and two outer ridge veins of deeper purple. Notice also the barb pair (or notch) on the lower petal.

north Puget Sound
TRAIL: Washington Park
HABITAT: seashore forest
ELEVATION: 50 m (165 ft.)
BLOOM TIME: 20-MAY