Ghost orchid  (Epipogium aphyllum)

Learn about the scientific name of this species and how it fits into the tree of life at Nature Navigator.

Description

As its common name suggests, the ghost orchid is a mysterious plant. It spends most of its life underground and has a tendency to disappear and suddenly reappear unexpectedly in an area (6). Furthermore, this orchid certainly does have a ghostly quality; it completely lacks chlorophyll, the green pigment found in most plants, and so has a pale, waxy appearance (6). The stem is translucent, slightly tinged with pink, and with many reddish streaks. Leaves are reduced to small scales at the base of the plant and higher up they take the form of one or two sheaths that fit snugly around the stem. One to four pale flowers are produced, which hang on fine stalks and are spotted with violet (2). This species has a long-lived underground storage organ known as a rhizome that is said to look like coral (3).

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