Crested Coralroot

Crested Coralroot, Hexalectris spicata
Photograph by R.H. Wiegand

The Crested Coralroot, Hexalectris spicata, is one of many species now gone from Maryland. Since European colonization, more than 200 species are believed to have been extirpated from the state. Crested Coralroot is a saprophytic orchid that grows in open, dry woods with rich soil and obtains nutrients from dead plant material.

Native plants, animals, and habitats can be the source of products such as medicines, new food crops, and clean water. They also provide places for recreation and intangible values, such as a sense of place and well-being.

Slowing the loss of native species and the habitats in which they live depends upon protecting existing native habitats, adopting progressing policies on land us planning, and changing lifestyles to consume less land and other natural resources.