Crested coral-root

Arethusa spicata Walter, Fl. Carol., 222. 1788; Corallorhiza spicata (Walter) Tidestrom

Stems: sheathing bracts 3–5. Inflorescences: floral bracts lanceolate to triangular-ovate, 5–10 × 2–6 mm. Flowers 5–25; pedicels 8–20 mm; lateral sepals oblong-ovate to oblong-lanceolate, falcate, apex acute; petals weakly to strongly recurved, elliptic, oblong-obovate, oblanceolate, or obovate, falcate; lip ovate to obovate, clawed, shallowly 3-lobed, fissure between lobes less than 2 mm deep, middle lobe ovate to suborbiculate, margins undulate, apically rounded to truncate, lateral lobes incurved, broadly rounded to obtuse, margins entire, apically triangular to rounded; lamellae 5(–7), central, purple to white; column white to yellowish white, apically winged, 11–18 mm; anthers whitish to yellow.

Varieties 2 (2 in the flora): c, e North America, Mexico.