Cephalanthera austiniae

Cephalanthera austiniae is a species of orchid known as the phantom orchid and snow orchid[2] because the entire plant is white except for a few yellow markings on the flowers.

Cephalanthera austiniae
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Orchidaceae
Subfamily: Epidendroideae
Genus: Cephalanthera
Species:
C. austiniae
Binomial name
Cephalanthera austiniae
Synonyms[1]
  • Chloraea austiniae A.Gray
  • Epipactis austiniae (A.Gray) Wettst.
  • Limodorum austiniae (A.Gray) Kuntze
  • Eburophyton austiniae (A.Gray) A.Heller
  • Serapias austiniae (A.Gray) A.A.Eaton
  • Cephalanthera oregana Rchb.f.
  • Chloraea oregana Nutt. ex Benth. & Hook.f.
  • Epipactis oregana (Rchb.f.) Wettst.
  • Limodorum oreganum (Rchb.f.) Kuntze

The orchid is native to the western United States (California, Oregon, Washington and Idaho), and to British Columbia, Canada. Cephalanthera austiniae is the only species of genus Cephalanthera native to the Western Hemisphere.[1][2][3]

This is also the only Cephalanthera species entirely dependent on symbiotic mycorrhizae for its nutrition. This mycoheterotrophic orchid has no chlorophyll, so it makes no energy for itself.

Description

Cephalanthera austiniae is a distinctive plant, rising from the dark, moist forest floor on waxy white stems and bearing orchid blossoms which are white or yellowish with yellow centers. Its leaves, if present, are rudimentary since such structures are not needed for collecting sunlight.[2]

Conservation

The plant is becoming more scarce as its habitat—dense, isolated forest—becomes more rare.

gollark: I'm not applying until next year, but I overresearched it somewhat now, and my school has provided some information about it in advance, so something.
gollark: Well, I'm glad that was helpful I guess.
gollark: Mine has an internal deadline in November so I assume you have at least a few weeks.
gollark: I mean, you probably have *some* amount of time. Your school thing might have a deadline a bit before the UCAS one to manage paperwork and stuff.
gollark: January THIS year? That seems wrong. It's the same calendar year as when you do A levels I'm pretty sure.

References
  1. Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
  2. Flora of North America, v 26 p 584, Cephalanthera austiniae
  3. Biota of North America Program
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