Piperia candida

White-flowered rein-orchid

Family: Orchidaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 1B.2

White-flowered rein-orchid is a rare (CNPS 1B.2) California native perennial found in northwestern California and southwestern San Francisco Bay bioregions in open to shady conifer and mixed-evergreen forest sites at elevations below 1,500 meters. Flowering from May to September, this delicate orchid produces white flowers with translucent lateral petals and a small white lip, creating a subtle and elegant display. Growing 10 to 60 centimeters tall with an elongated inflorescence 10 to 30 centimeters long, the plant emerges with a relatively congested or open flowering spike. Its basal leaves are distinctive, measuring 5 to 18 centimeters long and 11 to 35 millimeters wide, providing a sturdy foundation for the slender flowering stem. The flower features white sepals with a faint green midvein and a small white lip recurved toward a pointed spur 1.5 to 3.5 millimeters long.

Habitat: Open to shady sites, conifer and mixed-evergreen forest

Bloom period: May-Sep

Elevation: < 1500 m

Bioregions: NW, sw SnFrB

California counties: Humboldt, Del Norte, Trinity, Santa Cruz, Mendocino, San Mateo, Sonoma

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.