Northern twayblade; Neottia borealis

Found in Kearney Gulch near Bakerville at 10400 feet, July 12, 2026. Smith’s opus on Colorado orchids says: “This is one of our rarest orchids in Colorado. When found only a few plants are found at each location.” There were two plants. ClaudeAI tells me that the white things on one bloom are the pollinia: the waxy, granular masses of pollen grains that orchids package together instead of shedding pollen as loose dust. These are quite small and the two here were found near a very small stream. According to the Colorado Natural Heritage Program, there have been fewer than 60 sightings of this plant in Colorado, and it is rated S2, meaning imperiled in the state.