Leighton Photography & Imaging

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  • Successfully pollinated and fruiting seedpods of the nearly impossible-to-find and leafless ribbon orchid. Not only is this orchid extremely rare in the United States, it is only found in one tiny pocket of one remote part of the Northwestern Florida Everglades known as the Fakahatchee Strand, which is its northernmost range This one was photographed deep in the Strand while standing about waist-deep in the black, slowly-moving waters deep in the shadows of ancient bald cypress trees. Luckily, it can also be found in parts of the Caribbean islands, Central America, and even in some parts of Northern South America.
    Ribbon Orchid Seedpods
  • This very common cactus found all over the state of Florida produces these big showy yellow flowers in the spring, followed by edible fruits.
    Eastern Prickly Pear
  • The large, showy flowers of the eastern prickly pear cactus in full bloom in Sebring, Florida - near Lake June-in-Winter.
    Eastern Prickly Pear
  • A southern broken-dash skipper feeding on a thistle flower in the Kissimmee Prairie Preserve in Okeechobee County, Florida.
    Southern Broken-Dash (Wallengrenia otho)
  • Pipewort growing in the Estero Bay Preserve in Lee County, Florida. It is often found growing among palmettos in dry, sandy scrub areas, especially during the wet season.
    Pipewort
  • This small clover can be found in many places - especially lawns. It can spread in to vast carpets of tiny pale pink flowers that can almost look like snow!
    Mexican Clover
  • This wildflower is often found in pinelands and open scrub in South and Central Florida.
    Roserush
  • The tiny oak toad found hunting by day in the tree shadows along the Myakka River in Sarasota County, Florida.
    Oak Toad
  • The pale meadow beauty is a regular spring and summer wildflower in the freshwater wetlands of southern Florida. This one was found in the Estero Bay Preserve of Lee County.
    Pale Meadow Beauty
  • The unusual and bright blue widemouth dayflower in all it's glory growing in a pine scrub in Estero, Fl (Lee County).
    Whitemouth Dayflower
  • Fakahatchee beaked orchids growing in the Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary in Collier County, Florida. These suddenly appear all over the area when the swamps are low or dry in early April.
    Fakahatchee Beaked Orchids (Sacoila ..ola)
  • Young alligator warming up in the fall sun by a pond in Jefferson County. This one was about four feet in length.
    American Alligator
  • Young alligator warming up in the fall sun by a pond in North Florida. This one was about four feet in length.
    American Alligator
  • Alligator swimming in the Everglades National Park.
    American Alligator
  • An alligator with its head framed in shimmering light from the sun above.
    American Alligator
  • Alligator close-up in the Everglades National Park.
    American Alligator
  • American Alligator in the Sweetwater Strand area of the Florida Everglades. This was taken in the beginning of mating season, when they tend to get a little aggressive.
    American Alligator
  • Extreme close-up of the detail of a wild American alligator.
    American Alligator
  • Adult caiman found in the Big Cypress National Preserve. Caimans are found in Central and South America, and this photo generated some interest with Florida Fish & Wildlife. Not a great photo, but the only one we got that day.
    Spectacled Caiman
  • Mother and baby alligator basking in the morning sun. Photographed in the Fakahatchee Strand in Collier County, Florida.
    Mother Alligator and Baby
  • Alligator close-up in the Everglades National Park.
    American Alligator
  • A crocodile on a canal bank in Flamingo on the southern tip of peninsular Florida on the edge of the Keys and the Everglades. Note the flat and long head - much different than an alligator.
    American Crocodile
  • An alligator swims by slowly in the Sweetwater Strand with a great blue heron in its mouth.
    American Alligator with Great Blue Heron
  • Alligator close-up in the Everglades National Park.
    American Alligator
  • Very young hatchling alligator in the Shark River Valley of the Florida Everglades. Singled out of a clutch of about thirty chirping babies, this one sat still enough for me to get this image, until the mother appeared and gave me a direct warning to leave them alone.
    Baby Alligator
  • Alligator swimming in the Turner River, Collier County, Florida.
    American Alligator
  • Spectacular sunset over Lake June-in-Winter in Central Florida.
    Boathouse Sunset
  • A pair of the many white-tailed deer to be seen in the Kissimmee Prairie Preserve in Okeechobee County, Florida.
    White-tailed Deer
  • White-tailed buck photographed in the Fakahatchee Strand. These are often seen here and other places in and around the Everglades.
    White-tailed Deer
  • Eastern ribbon snake lunching on a treefrog in the Florida Everglades. Just in the right place at the right time for this shot!
    Eastern Ribbon Snake
  • A juvenile cottonmouth warming up in the morning sun on a dirt road near the Corkscrew Swamp in Naples, Florida.
    Juvenile Cottonmouth
  • Florida ivory millipede in the Kissimmee Prairie Preserve found under an oak canopy in Okeechobee County, Florida.
    Florida Ivory Millipede
  • Pitted stripeseed wildflower photographed in the Big Cypress National Preserve.
    Pitted Stripeseed
  • The prickly pineland acacia growing in the Everglades National Park. This plant can be a "surprise" while trying to travel through the rough spots in the 'Glades! Ouch!
    Pineland Acacia
  • This is a very common member of the St. John's-wort family, growing here in the Big Cypress National Preserve.
    Marsh St. John's-Wort
  • Swamp lilies growing deep in the Fakahatchee Strand. In the summertime, these can be found just about anywhere there is standing water in the Florida Everglades.
    Swamp Lilies
  • Everglades daisy photographed in the dry season of the Big Cypress National Preserve. Look for them in large numbers in the spring!
    Everglades Daisy
  • Deering's partridge pea growing in the Everglades National Park, where they will flower year-round.
    Florida Keys Sensitive Pea
  • This common weed is usually found in disturbed areas, such as this one on the side of US41 in Collier County, Florida.
    Sow Thistle
  • A sabatia flower in bloom in one of the deepest and darkest parts of the Fakahatchee Strand in SW Florida.
    Sabatia
  • A sabatia flower in bloom in one of the deepest and darkest parts of the Fakahatchee Strand in SW Florida.
    Sabatia
  • The incredibly spikey purple thistle is a very common and often very tall wildflower seen in any disturbed areas in all of Florida, this one on Long Pine Key.
    Purple Thistle
  • The very pretty flowerbud of the purple thistle about to open in the CREW Marsh Hiking Trails of Collier County, Florida.
    Purple Thistle
  • Swamp mallows are a very common member of the hibiscus family in the Everglades, as seen here in the Fakahatchee Strand.
    Swamp Mallow
  • Close-up side view of one of the world's most famous orchids!
    Ghost Orchid (Dendrophylax lindenii)
  • Vanilla orchid photographed in the early morning in the Fakahatchee Strand. Timing is important here because the flowers last only a couple of hours and wilt by midday.
    Oblong-leaved Vanilla Orchid (Vanill..tha)
  • The rare and exquisite ghost orchid photographed just after dawn in its natural environment.
    Ghost Orchid (Dendrophylax lindenii)
  • Largest of the native epidendrums, this orchid is very frustrating to photograph, because it seems that the only ones that are found low enough to shoot easily wilt before opening.
    Night-Fragrant Epidendrum (Epidendru..num)
  • This unusual orchid has a very large flower that is almost impossible to find fully open. It has a scent emitted only at night and is always found in the thickest parts of the swamps. Some tree climbing and a big zoom lens were used for this shot.
    Night-Fragrant Epidendrum (Epidendru..num)
  • Pine-pink orchid growing out of a floating log deep in the Fakahatchee Strand. They are almost always seen in large colonies and are truly one of the most beautiful terrestrial swamp orchids that can be found in southern Florida.
    Pine-Pink (Bletia purpurea)
  • Pine-pink orchid growing out of a floating log deep in the Fakahatchee Strand. I've noticed that the ones that grow in standing water seem to bloom first, followed by those on dry land a couple of weeks later.
    Pine-Pink (Bletia purpurea)
  • The beautiful and tiny red-waisted moth feeding on wildflower nectar in the Fakahatchee Strand. This daytime moth is very common in the middle of summer in South Florida.
    Red-Waisted Moth
  • A squirrel treefrog (individuals can change their color from green to brown based on their environment) found among the cypress knees in the Fakahatchee Strand in SW Florida. These frogs are most active at night.
    Squirrel Treefrog
  • A well-fed green treefrog perfectly camouflaged among the cattails in a wetland in Sarasota County, Florida.
    Green Treefrog
  • A green treefrog waits for night in the Fakahatchee Strand in SW Florida.
    Green Treefrog
  • Close-up of Florida's threatened and endangered gopher tortoise. This old male in Estero was the biggest we've ever seen.
    Florida Gopher Tortoise
  • This cheerful alligator was photographed late this afternoon near the St. Marks River in North Florida. It was very photogenic, and even gave me a big smile and hiss before I clicked the shutter! :-)
    American Alligator
  • A young adult alligator with a freshly caught great blue heron. An incredible sight to see in person!
    American Alligator with Great Blue Heron
  • White-tailed buck photographed in the Fakahatchee Strand. These are often seen here and other places in and around the Everglades.
    White-tailed Deer
  • A juvenile cottonmouth warming up in the morning sun on a dirt road near the Corkscrew Swamp in Naples, Florida.
    A Flick of the Tongue
  • The rare and exquisite ghost orchid photographed just after dawn in its natural environment.
    Ghost of the Fakahatchee (Dendrophyl..nii)
  • Close-up showing the amazing detail in this fantastic orchid. This photo was taken in a tree in the Fakahatchee Strand. Sometimes climbing is necessary to get close to these beauties!
    Night-Fragrant Epidendrum (Epidendru..num)
  • The night-fragrant orchid is easy to find, just due to its huge size. It is not uncommon to find these plants reaching two or three feet from the tree it is attached to.
    Night-Fragrant Epidendrum (Epidendru..num)
  • Extreme close-up of an adult alligator's mouth in the Florida Everglades.
    Gator Teeth
  • Ghost orchid bud I was monitoring over the space of a couple of weeks deep in the Fakahatcheee Strand. Luckily they are hard to find and grow in often difficult-to-access areas. Out of the 88+ individuals I've found over the years, many of them have been stolen by orchid poachers.
    Ghost Orchid with Bud
  • Ghost orchid bud at night in the Fakahatchee Strand! Probably not recommended for the bravest of orchid hunters, the Fakahatchee Strand in SW Florida is an especially busy time at night! This bud opened a few days later.
    Ghost Orchid with Flower Bud
  • Barred owl in the oldest and largest mahogany hammock in the Florida Everglades. When still, it can be easily overlooked because of its camouflaged pattern - like this one almost was!
    Everglades Barred Owl
  • Close-up detail of a ghost orchid bud at night in the Fakahatchee Strand! Probably not recommended for the bravest of orchid hunters, the Fakahatchee Strand in SW Florida is an especially busy time at night! This bud opened a few days later.
    Ghost Orchid Bud
  • The terrestrial or semi-aquatic horned bladderwort growing in Monroe County in the Big Cypress National Preserve. This  small carnivorous plant can catch small animals with tiny contracting bladders that suddenly open upon contact and suck in the prey by an inrush of water or air, and trapping it within with a flap-like membrane. These bladders are located among the root-like leaves.
    Horned Bladderwort (Utricularia cornuta)
  • Prairie milkweed growing out of the marl of a dried-up bog in the Everglades National Park near Long Pine Key. These draw all kinds of butterflies!
    Prairie Milkweed
  • United States Bankruptcy Courthouse in Tallahassee, Fl.
    United States Bankruptcy Courthouse
  • A favorite food source for hummingbirds, butterflies and moths, the western trumpet honeysuckle is a beautiful flowering vine found throughout much of the western United States, including British Columbia in several types of coastal to lower-elevation mountain habitats. This particular one was found growing in wild profusion in the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest on the eastern side of Washington State's Cascade Mountains.
    Western Trumpet Honeysuckle
  • A favorite food source for hummingbirds, butterflies and moths, the western trumpet honeysuckle is a beautiful flowering vine found throughout much of the western United States, including British Columbia in several types of coastal to lower-elevation mountain habitats. This particular one was found growing in wild profusion in the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest on the eastern side of Washington State's Cascade Mountains.
    Western Trumpet Honeysuckle
  • A close-up view of the interesting fused leaves that form a disk around the honeysuckles flowers (or buds in this case). This native vine is found all over much of the western United States, including British Columbia in several types of coastal to lower-elevation mountain habitats. This particular one was found growing in wild profusion in the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest on the eastern side of Washington State's Cascade Mountains.
    Western Trumpet Honeysuckle Buds
  • A close-up view of the interesting fused leaves that form a disk around the honeysuckles flowers (or buds in this case). This native vine is found all over much of the western United States, including British Columbia in several types of coastal to lower-elevation mountain habitats. This particular one was found growing in wild profusion in the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest on the eastern side of Washington State's Cascade Mountains.
    Western Trumpet Honeysuckle Buds
  • View from the ground in the middle of a native stand of desert fan palms in the Coachella Valley of Southern California. These towering trees are the only palms native to the western United States, and are also the largest native palm in the contiguous United States. Virtually unchanged for millennia, these living fossils provide shade from the unrelenting sun for many of the desert inhabitants, as well as the promise of nearby water.
    Coachella Valley Oasis
  • Found throughout the Eastern United States and some of the Canadian provinces, this large attractive dragonfly was photographed in the wild and swamp-like Tate's Hell State Forest in Northern Florida on the Gulf Coast.
    Carolina Saddlebags (Tramea carolina)
  • The plateau side-blotched lizard (Uta stansburiana uniformis) is one of five distinct subspecies of the side-blotched lizard found across the western United States, found only in Eastern Utah, Western Colorado, Northeastern Nevada and the extreme northwestern tip of New Mexico. Unlike its boldly-patterned cousins found to the south, west and southwest, the plateau side-blotched lizard tends to have a more spotted pattern, characterized by many tiny blue spots, unique to this subspecies. This one was photographed on Utah's Antelope Island, an island near Salt Lake City which lies near the southeastern shore of Great Salt Lake.
    Plateau Side-Blotched Lizard
  • The plateau side-blotched lizard (Uta stansburiana uniformis) is one of five distinct subspecies of the side-blotched lizard found across the western United States, found only in Eastern Utah, Western Colorado, Northeastern Nevada and the extreme northwestern tip of New Mexico. Unlike its boldly-patterned cousins found to the south, west and southwest, the plateau side-blotched lizard tends to have a more spotted pattern, characterized by many tiny blue spots, unique to this subspecies. This one was photographed on Utah's Antelope Island, an island near Salt Lake City which lies near the southeastern shore of Great Salt Lake.
    Plateau Side-Blotched Lizard
  • Found throughout most of the Western United States and including Quebec, Newfoundland and Labrador in Canada, Vreeland's striped coralroot (Corallorhiza striata var. vreelandii) is an extremely rare and endangered variant of the more common striped coralroot (Corallorhiza striata var. striata). Despite its large range, this unusual version has much smaller flowers and lacks the vibrant red in the flowers and stem, with flowers that can appear so pale that they are almost white or creamy yellow in appearance with sepals that never quite open up the way that the more common variety do. I was thrilled to find these quite by accident in a wooded area in rural Kittitas County in Washington State.
    Vreeland's Striped Coralroot (Corall..i)-6
  • Found throughout most of the Western United States and including Quebec, Newfoundland and Labrador in Canada, Vreeland's striped coralroot (Corallorhiza striata var. vreelandii) is an extremely rare and endangered variant of the more common striped coralroot (Corallorhiza striata var. striata). Despite its large range, this unusual version has much smaller flowers and lacks the vibrant red in the flowers and stem, with flowers that can appear so pale that they are almost white or creamy yellow in appearance with sepals that never quite open up the way that the more common variety do. I was thrilled to find these quite by accident in a wooded area in rural Kittitas County in Washington State.
    Vreeland's Striped Coralroot (Corall..i)-4
  • Found throughout most of the Western United States and including Quebec, Newfoundland and Labrador in Canada, Vreeland's striped coralroot (Corallorhiza striata var. vreelandii) is an extremely rare and endangered variant of the more common striped coralroot (Corallorhiza striata var. striata). Despite its large range, this unusual version has much smaller flowers and lacks the vibrant red in the flowers and stem, with flowers that can appear so pale that they are almost white or creamy yellow in appearance with sepals that never quite open up the way that the more common variety do. I was thrilled to find these quite by accident in a wooded area in rural Kittitas County in Washington State.
    Vreeland's Striped Coralroot (Corall..i)-5
  • Found throughout most of the Western United States and including Quebec, Newfoundland and Labrador in Canada, Vreeland's striped coralroot (Corallorhiza striata var. vreelandii) is an extremely rare and endangered variant of the more common striped coralroot (Corallorhiza striata var. striata). Despite its large range, this unusual version has much smaller flowers and lacks the vibrant red in the flowers and stem, with flowers that can appear so pale that they are almost white or creamy yellow in appearance with sepals that never quite open up the way that the more common variety do. I was thrilled to find these quite by accident in a wooded area in rural Kittitas County in Washington State.
    Vreeland's Striped Coralroot (Corall..i)-3
  • Found throughout most of the Western United States and including Quebec, Newfoundland and Labrador in Canada, Vreeland's striped coralroot (Corallorhiza striata var. vreelandii) is an extremely rare and endangered variant of the more common striped coralroot (Corallorhiza striata var. striata). Despite its large range, this unusual version has much smaller flowers and lacks the vibrant red in the flowers and stem, with flowers that can appear so pale that they are almost white or creamy yellow in appearance with sepals that never quite open up the way that the more common variety do. I was thrilled to find these quite by accident in a wooded area in rural Kittitas County in Washington State.
    Vreeland's Striped Coralroot (Corall..i)-1
  • Found throughout most of the Western United States and including Quebec, Newfoundland and Labrador in Canada, Vreeland's striped coralroot (Corallorhiza striata var. vreelandii) is an extremely rare and endangered variant of the more common striped coralroot (Corallorhiza striata var. striata). Despite its large range, this unusual version has much smaller flowers and lacks the vibrant red in the flowers and stem, with flowers that can appear so pale that they are almost white or creamy yellow in appearance with sepals that never quite open up the way that the more common variety do. I was thrilled to find these quite by accident in a wooded area in rural Kittitas County in Washington State.
    Vreeland's Striped Coralroot (Corall..i)-2
  • The thimbleberry is one of those often overlooked, highly under-appreciated wild berries that deserves a lot more credit than it gets. Found in all of the western states, and Canadian provinces and all around the Great Lakes, both in the United States and Canada the humble thimbleberry is considered by many to be superior than any raspberry. It is easily recognized in the wild by its large, papery maple-shaped leaves and completely thornless stalks. The tart, intensely fruity, high in Vitamin C berries are used to make some of the best jellies, and are often added to other berries such as blueberries, blackberries and raspberries to kick up the sweetness and flavor. This perfectly rip one was found (and eaten) above Lake McDonald in Montana's Glacier National Park.
    Thimbleberry
  • The thimbleberry is one of those often overlooked, highly under-appreciated wild berries that deserves a lot more credit than it gets. Found in all of the western states, and Canadian provinces and all around the Great Lakes, both in the United States and Canada the humble thimbleberry is considered by many to be superior than any raspberry. It is easily recognized in the wild by its large, papery maple-shaped leaves and completely thornless stalks. The tart, intensely fruity, high in Vitamin C berries are used to make some of the best jellies, and are often added to other berries such as blueberries, blackberries and raspberries to kick up the sweetness and flavor. These were found growing above Lake McDonald in Montana's Glacier National Park.
    Thimbleberries
  • The thimbleberry is one of those often overlooked, highly under-appreciated wild berries that deserves a lot more credit than it gets. Found in all of the western states, and Canadian provinces and all around the Great Lakes, both in the United States and Canada the humble thimbleberry is considered by many to be superior than any raspberry. It is easily recognized in the wild by its large, papery maple-shaped leaves and completely thornless stalks. The tart, intensely fruity, high in Vitamin C berries are used to make some of the best jellies, and are often added to other berries such as blueberries, blackberries and raspberries to kick up the sweetness and flavor. These were found growing above Lake McDonald in Montana's Glacier National Park.
    Thimbleberries
  • The thimbleberry is one of those often overlooked, highly under-appreciated wild berries that deserves a lot more credit than it gets. Found in all of the western states, and Canadian provinces and all around the Great Lakes, both in the United States and Canada the humble thimbleberry is considered by many to be superior than any raspberry. It is easily recognized in the wild by its large, papery maple-shaped leaves and completely thornless stalks. The tart, intensely fruity, high in Vitamin C berries are used to make some of the best jellies, and are often added to other berries such as blueberries, blackberries and raspberries to kick up the sweetness and flavor. These were found growing above Lake McDonald in Montana's Glacier National Park.
    Thimbleberries
  • The thimbleberry is one of those often overlooked, highly under-appreciated wild berries that deserves a lot more credit than it gets. Found in all of the western states, and Canadian provinces and all around the Great Lakes, both in the United States and Canada the humble thimbleberry is considered by many to be superior than any raspberry. It is easily recognized in the wild by its large, papery maple-shaped leaves and completely thornless stalks. The tart, intensely fruity, high in Vitamin C berries are used to make some of the best jellies, and are often added to other berries such as blueberries, blackberries and raspberries to kick up the sweetness and flavor. These were found growing above Lake McDonald in Montana's Glacier National Park.
    Thimbleberries
  • Nevada's Valley of Fire is one of the most spectacular places in the United States. Unbelievably red sandstone canyons, rock formations and rare habitat-specific wildlife make for one of the very best places for a hike or hiking trip one could hope for.
    Into Valley of Fire - Black & White
  • A red-eyed male Phainopepla hesitates for a second as I press the shutter in Southern Nevada on a chilly spring morning. This common bird to Mexico is frequently seen in the extreme lower southwestern United States.
    Phainopepla
  • One of the most unusual plants I've ever seen, the copper ladies-tresses orchid literally looks like it could be made out of copper. Extremely rare in the United States and almost impossible to see in the dark, remote forests where they are found, this tiny terrestrial orchids can be found only in a few scattered locations in Florida, but is much more common in the Caribbean Islands. This one was found (and almost accidentally stepped on) in rural Central Florida.
    Copper Ladies'-Tresses (Mesadenus lu..nus)
  • Nevada's Valley of Fire is one of the most spectacular places in the United States. Unbelievably red sandstone canyons, rock formations and rare habitat-specific wildlife make for one of the very best places for a hike or hiking trip one could hope for.
    Into the Valley of Fire
  • Purple sage is a sun-loving member of the mint family that is found in very dry areas of the extreme Southwestern United States. If you run your hands through the leaves, your hands will pick up a wonderfully minty scent. These were photographed<br />
 below a cave-hollowed cliff on Southern Nevada.
    Purple Sage
  • The Valley of Fire in Southern Nevada is home to some of the most spectacular rock formations in the United States.
    Valley of Fire
  • The rocky coastline of Cape Flattery is located at the most extreme northwestern corner of the contiguous United States. Millennia of pounding waves, tides and erosion have sculpted the landscape into something from a fairytale.
    Sea Stacks of Cape Flattery
  • Of the two green-flowered piperia orchids found in North America, this one is also the most common and is found in most of the Western United States and Canada, and parts of Eastern Canada including Ontario, Quebec, and Newfoundland. How you can tell the two apart is by the length of the spur, which is a small horn-like appendage growing underneath each flower. In this species, the spur is equal to or slightly shorter than the lip of the flower (the bottom part that looks like a wide "lower petal" in the middle of each flower) as opposed to the closely related long-spurred Piperia (Piperia elongata) which has a spur quite a bit longer than the lip. As always, it always makes me very excited to see these unusual and often hard to spot wild native orchids out in the wild, such as this one growing near the Deschutes River in rural Thurston County, Washington just west of Mount Rainier.
    Piperia unalascensis-15.jpg
  • Close-up view of the leaves of one of the two green-flowered piperia orchids found in North America, this one is also the most common and is found in most of the Western United States and Canada, and parts of Eastern Canada including Ontario, Quebec, and Newfoundland. How you can tell the two apart is by the length of the spur, which is a small horn-like appendage growing underneath each flower. In this species, the spur is equal to or slightly shorter than the lip of the flower (the bottom part that looks like a wide "lower petal" in the middle of each flower) as opposed to the closely related long-spurred Piperia (Piperia elongata) which has a spur quite a bit longer than the lip. As always, it always makes me very excited to see these unusual and often hard to spot wild native orchids out in the wild, such as this one growing in Washington's  Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest in rural Kittitas County on the Eastern side of the Cascade Mountains.
    Piperia unalascensis-8.jpg
  • Of the two green-flowered piperia orchids found in North America, this one is also the most common and is found in most of the Western United States and Canada, and parts of Eastern Canada including Ontario, Quebec, and Newfoundland. How you can tell the two apart is by the length of the spur, which is a small horn-like appendage growing underneath each flower. In this species, the spur is equal to or slightly shorter than the lip of the flower (the bottom part that looks like a wide "lower petal" in the middle of each flower) as opposed to the closely related long-spurred Piperia (Piperia elongata) which has a spur quite a bit longer than the lip. As always, it always makes me very excited to see these unusual and often hard to spot wild native orchids out in the wild, such as this one growing in Washington's  Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest in rural Kittitas County on the Eastern side of the Cascade Mountains.
    Piperia unalascensis-7.jpg
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