Phantom orchid, snow orchid

Chloraea austiniae A. Gray, Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 12: 83. 1877 (as austinae); Eburophyton austiniae (A. Gray) A. Heller

Plants pure white, 19–65 cm. Leaves proximally reduced to scarious sheathing bracts, to 10 cm, distally reduced to bracts, pure white, becoming brown. Inflorescences: floral bracts scarious, the proximal often foliaceous, distal usually reduced, lanceolate, apex acuminate. Flowers ascending, loosely open orbs, white with yellow markings; sepals lance-elliptic, 12–20 × 4–7 mm, base spread, curving forward to meet but not touch, apex obtuse to subacute; petals oblanceolate, arcuate, 10–17 × 3–6 mm, associated with dorsal sepal; lip 8–12 × 9–14 mm, lateral lobes flanking column, distal end deflexed, yellow centrally. Capsules erect, ellipsoid-oblanceoloid, 15 × 10 mm.

Flowering summer. Mineral soil in dry to moist coniferous forests; 0--2200 m; B.C.; Calif., Idaho, Oreg., Wash.