summertime orchids

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Crane-fly Orchid (Tipularia discolor)

Not too late to be thinking about wildflowers, especially orchids, as emails from Bob and Lynne Davies relate.

"Bob and I hiked the Spruce Flats Falls trail at Tremont on Saturday. It’s only a mile, but it’s a good workout, with rocky and steep places. We had the bonus of finding four and maybe five species of wild orchids in bloom. We saw the expected Crane-fly Orchid (Tipularia) and Rattlesnake Plantain (Goodyera), but also Three-Birds Orchid and Southern Rein Orchid, two new species for both of us. Another plant we saw in bud but not blooming may have been an orchid, too.There was a nice patch of chanterelle mushrooms near the falls. Persimmon trees are starting to get a sprinkling of color already." Lynne

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