ORCHIDACEAE
Corallorhiza Gagnebin, Acta Helv. Phys.-Math. 2: 61 (1755).
By: Bhakta B. Raskoti
Taxon Description
Heteromycotrophic herbs. Rhizome rootless, coralloid,often branching. Stem erect. Inflorescence racemose, terminal, with tubular sheaths; rachis laxly flowered; floral bracts triangular-lanceolate. Flowers resupinate; pedicel and ovary fusiform. Sepals similar, free oroccasionall yconnivent, lanceolate; lateral sepals slightly oblique, occasionallybasally connate to form amentum with base of column. Petals broadly lanceolate or obovate, shorter than sepals.Lip entire or lobed, lacking spur; disk with 2 longitudinal lamellae. Column winged or wingless; anthersubglobose, attached by a filament; pollinia 4,caudicles inconspicuous; viscidium triangular; stigma elliptic-cordate; rostellum triangular. Capsule ribbed.
Taxon Statistics
Worldwide 12 species, distributed inE Asia,S Asia, Europe, N America, and W Himalaya. One species in Nepal.
1. Corallorhiza trifida Châtel., Spec. Inaug. Corallorhiza: 8 (1760).
Corallorhiza innata R. Br.; Neottia corallorhiza (L.) Kuntze; Ophrys corallorhiza L.
Plants 15–24 cm tall. Rhizome branched.Peduncle with 2–3tubular sheaths; sheaths 1–7 cm, membranous; rachis 1–3 cm, laxly 2–9-flowered. Floral bracts triangular-lanceolate, ca. 1 × 1 mm, apex acute. Flowers pale yellowish green to white, ca. 4–6 mm across. Pedicel and ovary 4–7 mm. Dorsal sepal oblong-lanceolate, 4–5 × 1–1.5 mm, apex subobtuse.Lateral sepals obliquely oblong-lanceolate, 4–5 × 1–1.5 mm, base connate with columnand forming a mentum, apex subobtuse. Petals oblanceolate, 3–4 × 1–1.5 mm, apex subobtuse. Lip oblong, 2–3.5 × 1–1.5 mm, indistinctly 3-lobed near base; lateral lobes erect, ovate, ca. 1 × 1 mm; mid-lobe oblong, 1.5–2 × 1 mm, apex obtuse; disk with 2 lamellae. Column 2–3 mm. Capsule not seen.
Distribution: Nepal, E Asia, S Asia, Europe, N America and W Himalaya.
Altitudinal range: 3800 m
Ecology: In Betula forest.
Flowering: June–July. Fruiting:August–October.