Malaxis brachypoda (White Adder's-mouth orchid)

This year's Native Orchid Conference symposium was held on July 14-17 at Lake Itasca, Minnesota. The first day's field trip was to Iron Spring Bog, near Lake Itasca.

I was excited about visiting this bog, since it was home to a little-seen orchid, Malaxis paludosa or Bog Adder's-mouth orchid as well as a number of other orchid species. From a distance, this little beauty is merely a thin green "stick" with lumps. But up close, it has an exquisite beauty...

To learn more about this wonderful place, please go to Jim's Blog...