Corallorhiza maculata

Corallorhiza maculata
Corallorhiza maculata var. maculata
Conservation status
Secure  (NatureServe) [1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Monocots
Order:	Asparagales
Family:	Orchidaceae
Subfamily:	Epidendroideae
Genus:	Corallorhiza
Species:	C. maculata
Binomial name
Corallorhiza maculata Raf.
Varieties [2]
C. m. var. maculata C. m. var. mexicana C. m. var. occidentalis
Synonyms [2]
Cladorhiza maculata

Corallorhiza maculata, or spotted coralroot, is a North American coralroot orchid. ^[3] It has three varieties: C. maculata var. occidentalis (western spotted coralroot), C. maculata var. maculata (eastern spotted coralroot or summer coralroot), and C. maculata var. mexicana. It is widespread through Mexico, Guatemala, Canada, St. Pierre & Miquelon, and much of the western and northern United States (though generally absent from the Great Plains and from the lowland parts of the Southeast). It grows mostly in montane woodlands. ^{[4] [5] [6]}

Description

The Corallorhiza maculata side petals are reddish, and the lip petal is bright clean white with deep red spots.

Corallorhiza maculata is a myco-heterotroph; it lacks chlorophyll and obtains energy by parasitizing the mycelium of fungi in the family Russulaceae. ^[7] The rhizome and lower stem are often knotted into branched coral shapes. The stem is usually red or brown in color, but occasionally comes in a light yellow or cream color. There are no leaves and no photosynthetic green tissues. The stems bear dark red scales and intricate orchid flowers.

Corallorhiza maculata flowers are small and emerge regularly from all sides of the stem. The sepals are dark red or brown tinged with purple, long and pointed. The side petals are reddish, and the lip petal is bright clean white with deep red spots. It is usually scalloped along its edges and 7–10 mm (9⁄32–13⁄32 in). In some varieties, the lip may be plain white without spots.

An unspotted form of Corallorhiza maculata that moreover bears yellow-tinged petals and sepals.

Taxonomy

Corallorhiza maculata was scientifically described and named by Constantine Rafinesque in 1817. It is classified in the genus Corallorhiza within the family Orchidaceae. It has three varieties according to Plants of the World Online: ^[2]

• Corallorhiza maculata var. maculata
• Corallorhiza maculata var. mexicana(Lindl.) Freudenst.
• Corallorhiza maculata var. occidentalis(Lindl.) Ames

Corallorhiza maculata has 23 synonyms of the species or one of its three varieties. ^{[8] [9] [10]}

Table of Synonyms

Name	Year	Rank	Synonym of:	Notes
Cladorhiza maculata(Raf.) Raf.	1828	species	C. maculata	≡ hom.
Corallorhiza grabhamiiCockerell	1903	species	var. occidentalis	= het.
Corallorhiza leimbachianaSuksd.	1906	species	var. occidentalis	= het.
Corallorhiza maculata f. aureaP.M.Br.	1995	form	var. maculata	= het.
Corallorhiza maculata var. flavida(M.Peck) Cockerell	1916	variety	var. maculata	= het.
Corallorhiza maculata f. flavida(M.Peck) Farw.	1927	form	var. maculata	= het.
Corallorhiza maculata var. fuscaBartlett	1922	variety	var. maculata	= het.
Corallorhiza maculata var. immaculataM.Peck	1950	variety	var. maculata	= het.
Corallorhiza maculata f. immaculata(M.Peck) J.T.Howell	1970	form	var. maculata	= het.
Corallorhiza maculata var. intermediaFarw.	1917	variety	var. maculata	= het.
Corallorhiza maculata f. intermedia(Farw.) Farw.	1927	form	var. maculata	= het.
Corallorhiza maculata subsp. occidentalis(Lindl.) Cockerell	1916	subspecies	var. occidentalis	≡ hom.
Corallorhiza maculata var. ozettensisTisch	2001	variety	var. maculata	= het.
Corallorhiza maculata var. puniceaBartlett	1922	variety	var. maculata	= het.
Corallorhiza maculata f. punicea(Bartlett) Weath. & J.Adams	1945	form	var. maculata	= het.
Corallorhiza maculata f. rubraP.M.Br.	1995	form	var. maculata	= het.
Corallorhiza mexicanaLindl.	1840	species	var. mexicana	≡ hom.
Corallorhiza multifloraNutt.	1823	species	var. maculata	= het.
Corallorhiza multiflora var. flavidaM.Peck	1897	variety	var. maculata	= het.
Corallorhiza multiflora var. occidentalisLindl.	1840	variety	var. occidentalis	≡ hom.
Corallorhiza multiflora var. sulphureaSuksd.	1906	variety	var. maculata	= het.
Neottia mexicana(Lindl.) Kuntze	1891	species	var. mexicana	≡ hom.
Neottia multiflora(Nutt.) Kuntze	1891	species	var. maculata	= het.
Notes: ≡ homotypic synonym  ; = heterotypic synonym

Uses

Several Native American groups historically used the orchid's stems dried and brewed as a tea for such maladies as colds, pneumonia, and skin irritation.

Corallorhiza maculata is also the topic of the poem On Going Unnoticed by Robert Frost.

References

1. NatureServe (5 September 2025). "Corallorhiza maculata". NatureServe Explorer. Arlington, Virginia. Retrieved 2 October 2025.
2. "Corallorhiza maculata". Plants of the World Online . Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew . Retrieved 2 October 2025.
3. Wiese, Karen (2013). Sierra Nevada Wildflowers (2nd ed.). p. 99.
4. "Corallorhiza maculata". World Checklist of Selected Plant Families (WCSP). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
5. Kartesz, John T. (2014). "Corallorhiza maculata". County-level distribution map from the North American Plant Atlas (NAPA). Biota of North America Program (BONAP).
6. Magrath, Lawrence K.; Freudenstein, John V. (2002). "Corallorhiza maculata". In Flora of North America Editorial Committee (ed.). Flora of North America North of Mexico (FNA). Vol. 26. New York and Oxford: Oxford University Press – via eFloras.org, Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.
7. Lee Taylor D; TD Bruns (October 1999). "Population, habitat and genetic correlates of mycorrhizal specialization in the 'cheating' orchids corallorhiza maculata and C. mertensiana". Molecular Ecology. 8 (10): 1719–1732. doi:10.1046/j.1365-294x.1999.00760.x. PMID   10583834.
8. "Corallorhiza maculata var. maculata". Plants of the World Online . Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew . Retrieved 2 October 2025.
9. "Corallorhiza maculata var. mexicana (Lindl.) Freudenst". Plants of the World Online . Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew . Retrieved 2 October 2025.
10. "Corallorhiza maculata var. occidentalis (Lindl.) Ames". Plants of the World Online . Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew . Retrieved 2 October 2025.

Further reading

• Taylor, D.L. & T.D. Bruns. (1997). Independent, specialized invasions of ectomycorrhizal mutualism by two nonphotosynthetic orchids. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA vol. 94 pp. 4510–4515.

External links

• 
   Media related to Corallorhiza maculata at Wikimedia Commons
• 
   Data related to Corallorhiza maculata at Wikispecies
• Jepson Manual - Corallorhiza maculata