Definition

Noun: - A type of orchid (Corallorhiza maculata) characterized by leafless stems that are yellowish, reddish, or purplish-brown. It bears loose clusters (racemes) of similarly colored flowers, which have white lips marked with purple spots. Its geographic range extends from Guatemala to Canada.

Usage

• The term is used specifically to refer to this particular species of leafless, terrestrial orchid. It is a botanical name.
  • While hiking in the pine forest, we were lucky to find a spotted coral root growing in the shade.
  • Unlike most plants, spotted coral root lacks chlorophyll and obtains nutrients through a symbiotic relationship with fungi.

Advanced Usage

• The name is descriptive: "coral root" refers to its coral-like, branched underground rhizome, and "spotted" describes the distinctive purple spots on the flower's lip (labellum).

Variants and Related Words

• Coral root: A common name for plants in the genus , which are all leafless, mycoheterotrophic orchids.
• Corallorhiza maculata: The scientific (Latin) binomial for the spotted coral root.

Synonyms

• Spotted coralroot (alternative spelling as a single word in some botanical contexts).

Noun

1. common coral root having yellowish- or reddish- or purplish-brown leafless stems bearing loose racemes of similarly colored flowers with white purple-spotted lips; Guatemala to Canada