[Coral Roots: The Genus Corallorhiza in the Columbia River Gorge of Oregon and Washington]

Striped Coralroot, Striped Coral Root, Hooded Coralroot

Corallorhiza striata var. striata

Synonyms: Corallorhiza macraei, Corallorhiza ochroleuca, Corallorhiza striata var. flavida, Corallorhiza striata var. ochroleuca

Striped coral root as seen at Catherine Creek in the Columbia River Gorge..........April 14, 2007. Note the flesh-colored background to the flowers with the longitudinal candy striping on each petal.

Striped Coralroot, Striped Coral Root, Hooded Coralroot: Corallorhiza striata var. striata (Synonyms: Corallorhiza macraei, Corallorhiza ochroleuca, Corallorhiza striata var. flavida, Corallorhiza striata var. ochroleuca)

The photo at right shows a close-up frontal view of the flower of striped coral root as seen on the Oregon white oak forest floor high in the Columbia Hills to the north of The Dalles, OR........May 14, 2006.

Characteristics:

The striped coral root is a striking and attractive perennial wildflower when seen in nature. The stout flower scapes are flesh colored to red-purple tinged and from 15-40 cm high. Three to four lighter colored sheathing scales are found on the scape (See photo at right.).

From 7-30 flowers are found in a spike up to 20 cm long atop the scape. Individual flowers are flesh-colored or light pink with 3-4 narrow, longitudinal, reddish-brown or purple stripes. The oblong-lanceolate sepals range from 10-17 mm long and from 2-4 mm wide. The lateral pair of sepals are not joined and thus a spur is lacking. The petals are shorter but wider than the sepals, measuring up to 6-8 mm wide. The lip is broadly oblong-elliptic, measuring 8-15 mm long and 6-8 mm wide. Its margins are not lobed, but are upturned and thickened.

Habitat:

The striped coral root may be found in shady coniferous to deciduous forests.

Range:

The striped coral root may be found from British Columbia south to Sierran California and east to Quebec or as far east as Michigan. In the Rocky Mts it can be found south through Utah and New Mexico and into northern Mexico.

In the Columbia River Gorge, it may be found between the elevations of 100'-2500' from west of Eagle Creek eastward to the Columbia Hills, north of The Dalles, OR.

Close-up images of the flower of striped coral root as seen in the Columbia Hills........May 14, 2006.

Striped coral root observed in oak woodlands at the Weldon Wagon Trail, western Klickitat County, WA......May 4, 2022 (left) and April 23, 2024 (right).

Striped coralroots as seen in mature coniferous forest along upper West Major Creek, Columbia River Gorge............May 28, 2013.

Striped coralroots as seen along the Augsburger Trail about one and a half miles west of the summit of Dog Mountain, Columbia River Gorge..........May 7, 2014.

Striped coralroot as seen at left near Little Bowman Creek in the Klickitat Wildlife Area............May 22, 2015. The photo at right shows striped coralroot in bloom in oak woodlands near Klickitat, WA.....April 29, 2021.

The photo above shows striped coral root as seen at Catherine Creek in the Columbia River Gorge........April 2003. Note the flesh-colored background to the flowers with the longitudinal candy striping on each petal.

Paul Slichter