Distribution: Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington, but chiefly west of the crest; Alaska to California, east to the Rocky Mountains, further east across Canada to the Great Lakes region and northeastern North America.

Habitat: Humus-rich, often damp, forest understory, sometimes along streams, from low to middle elevations.

Flowers: May-August

Origin: Native

Growth Duration: Perennial

Conservation Status: Not of concern

Herbaceous perennials, terrestrial, 5-33 cm tall; stems succulent, green to reddish purple, glabrous to inflorescence, cauline bracts enclosing stem at base; roots fibrous.

Leaves generally 2, opposite, sessile; blades widely or narrowly ovate-cordate or deltate, 0.9-2 cm long and 0.7-2 cm broad, apex mucronate, glabrous.

Inflorescence terminal bracteate raceme, 2-10 cm, slender; floral bracts ovate, 1-1.5 mm long and 1 mm broad, glandular-pubescent; peduncle and rachis glandular-pubescent or becoming glabrous; flowers 5-25, light or yellowish green, or reddish purple, resupinate; pedicel narrow, 2-3 mm, glandular-pubescent; dorsal sepal somewhat oblong, 2-3 mm long and 1 mm broad, apex obtuse; lateral sepals somewhat oblong, slightly sickle-shaped, 2-3 mm long and 0.5-1.5 mm broad, apex obtuse; petals elliptic to oblong-linear, 1.5-2.5 mm long and 0.5-1 mm broad, apex obtuse; labellum linear-oblong, separated into 2 long and slender lobes by cleft ½-2/3 its length, 3-4 mm long and 1-1.5 mm broad; disc with 2 spreading linear lobes, each apex acute; column 0.5 mm long and 0.5 mm broad; anther on upper side of column near apex; pollinia 2, yellow, soft; ovary pedicellate, glabrous.

Capsules, slightly erect, 5 mm long and 4 mm broad, nearly globose.