Fairy-slipper (Calypso bulbosa) observed in Port Angeles
iNaturalist: renew
Mycorrhizal Networks
Fairy-slipper orchids are sensitive to soil disturbance and disappear quickly when forests are logged or developed, making each confirmed sighting a sign that a local wild area is still ecologically intact — the kind of place worth protecting in your community.
Someone in Port Angeles found and photographed a Fairy-slipper, a small, strikingly beautiful wild orchid that grows on the forest floor in the Pacific Northwest. Enough people on iNaturalist confirmed the ID to make it 'research-grade,' meaning it counts as real scientific data. These orchids are picky — they only grow in undisturbed forests with the right underground fungi to feed them, so spotting one is a sign the local ecosystem is in good shape.
Key Findings
A research-grade observation of Calypso bulbosa (Fairy-slipper) was recorded in Port Angeles, contributing a verified data point to biodiversity records.
The sighting qualifies as research-grade on iNaturalist, meaning it met the platform's community verification threshold and can be used in scientific databases.
Fairy-slipper orchids are obligate mycorrhizal plants, meaning this sighting indirectly confirms the presence of intact fungal networks in the local forest soil.
chevron_right Technical Summary
A Fairy-slipper orchid (Calypso bulbosa) was spotted and documented in Port Angeles, Washington, earning 'research-grade' status on the citizen science platform iNaturalist. This rare native orchid relies on undisturbed forest ecosystems and is a strong indicator of healthy, old-growth habitat.
Abstract Preview
Research-grade observation of Fairy-slipper in Port Angeles.
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Species Mentioned
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Calypso is a genus of orchids containing one species, Calypso bulbosa, known as the calypso orchid, fairy slipper or Venus's slipper. It is a perennial member of the orchid family found in undisturbed northern and montane forests. It has a small pink, purple, pinkish-purple, or red flower accente...