Native Orchids of West Virginia

The last couple of days I have had opportunities to revisit areas with very nice West Virginia Orchids.
          On a woodland road run near my home, I paused to crawl under some Rhododendron against a creek and find Appalachian Twayblade. I found this here a couple years ago but it is still not reported to be found in this county (Raleigh). Listera smallii on USDA Web Site.
























After a conference in Morgantown, I drove over to the Canaan Valley area to spend a night and hike in the West Virginia Highlands. It was early for some of the flowers I was searching for but a lot of wildflowers were early this year and I was not disappointed on this trip.
First it was to a bog area where one of the two West Virginia populations of Showy Lady Slippers are located. They were in great shape and I also saw a couple of globally rare plant wild flowers, Appalachian Jacob's ladder and Glade Spurge. Purple Fringed Orchid and Woodland Sorrel .
            After one storm and while thunder rumbled, I hiked into the  bog with ankle deep water and took the following pictures 

Showy Lady Slipper

Purple Fringed Orchid

Glade Spurge

Appalachian Jacob's Ladder 

Mountain Wood Sorrel

My next stop was at Spruce Knob. At 4863 feet in elevation, 
this is the highest point in West Virginia. This was my first
 visit and I hoped to find some leftover Spring Ephemeral. 
As I drove up the access road the temperature dropped 10 degrees and the sun was replaced by fog and wind.          


                                                                                

One-sided red spruce deformed by constant exposure to strong westerly winds cling to the high rocky ridges

#361-Wild Bleeding Heart 

Wild Bleeding Heart, another new West Virginia wildflower for my attempt to photograph and record every wildflower that I can in West Virginia.

Columbine

       #362-Bunchberry Dogwood,
Another new West Virginia wildflower for my attempt
to photograph and record every wildflower that I can in West Virginia.

 My last stop was the Cranberry Glades Botanical area. I usually go there around July 4th but since everything is early this year, I made the trip there. I was rewarded with several more Orchids and wildflowers

Grass Pink Orchid

Rose Pogonia-normal coloration 

Rose Pogonia- almost white 

Grass Pink

Sundew with captured insect 

White Monkshood 

Cranberry Flower- Namesake of botanical area