Giant Helleborine, Stream Orchid
Epipactis gigantea
Synonyms: Amesia gigantea, Epipactis gigantea f. citrina, Epipactis gigantea f. rubrifolia, Helleborine gigantea
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Giant helleborine is a perennial wildflower with one to several erect stems arising from rhizomes. The stems are covered with numerous, sheathing leaves, and the stems arise from 30-120 cm in height. The lower leaves are reduced greatly in size, but become larger higher on the stem. With parallel venation, the leaves are about 7-14 cm long and 1.5-5 cm wide.
The showy flowers form a raceme with all flowers on one side of the stem. The sepals are coppery-green with light brown venation. They range from 12-16 mm long. The petals are similar but thinner and with brownish-purple venation. The lower lip is 15-20 mm long with prominent, raised lines along the sac.
Giant helleborine is a plant of wet places and is found near springs, seeps, streambanks, and around the edges of lakes.
Giant helleborine is found from British Columbia south to Baja California, and east to the Rocky Mts.. It is found occasionally in Washington on both sides of the Cascade Mts..
In the Columbia River Gorge, it may be found from the Wind River east to adjacent to Kaser Ridge. It may be found at elevations ranging from 100'-2000'.
