There are 26 native orchid species (family Orchidaceae) in Colorado. Native orchids often rely on specific pollinators or fungal partners, which can limit their ranges. But while many are uncommon and have specific partners, some species can be invasive and generalist. Recently, we’ve been documenting both an uncommon orchid and a potentially invasive orchid—both for conservation-related reasons. </p> Orchids often require a fungal partner for germination, but the coralroot orchids (genus Corallorhiza</em>) are fascinating because they take the relationship further and remain parasitic on the fungus throughout their life. Instead of photosynthesizing, they totally rely on their fungal partner for energy. Therefore, they don’t quite look like regular plants. They lack true leaves and green coloring. They spend much of the year underground, as rootlike structures, only appearing above-ground as a flowering stalk in the spring. </p> In summer of 2024, our team discovered a population of striped coralroot orchid (Corallorhiza striata</em>) at Chatfield Farms. The striped coralroot had only been collected once in Jefferson County in 1905. This past summer 2025, I discovered the second at Bear Creek Lake Park. This population is vulnerable because it is in a heavily trafficked area and there is the prospect of expanding the park’s reservoir. We worked with the park to document this population. Biodiversity documentation like this is essential for protecting vulnerable species and habitats. </p>
