Distribution: Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; Alaska to California, east across the northern half of North America to the Atlantic Coast.
Habitat: Fairly deep, moist woods, montane to subalpine.
Flowers: June-August
Origin: Native
Growth Duration: Perennial
Conservation Status: Not of concern
Myco-heterotrophic, scapose, perennial herbs, the stem 10-25 cm. tall, pale yellow to olive-yellow.
Plants are myco-heterotrophic, so lack leaves.
Flowers 3-15 on stout, short pedicles in a raceme; sepals 3, yellow or greenish-yellow, rarely white, oblong-lanceolate, about 5 mm. long; 2 small petals slightly shorter and broader than the sepals; third petal (lip) nearly white, sometimes red-spotted, 3.5-4.5 mm. long, oblong, shallowly toothed on the basal half, the margins upturned, 3-nerved; stamens and style fused to form a broad column 2.5-6 mm. long.
Capsule pendant, ovoid, about 1 cm long.
PNW Herbaria: Specimen records of Corallorhiza trifida in the Consortium of Pacific Northwest Herbaria database
WA Flora Checklist: Corallorhiza trifida checklist entry
OregonFlora: Corallorhiza trifida information
E-Flora BC: Corallorhiza trifida atlas page
CalPhotos: Corallorhiza trifida photos