What in the Woods Is That?

Play our biweekly guessing game!

Whatever draws us into the forest—be it birdwatching or logging, hiking or hunting—all of us are unified by the sense of wonder we feel in the outdoors. The forests, fields, and streams of our region are full of mystery, and if you stop and look closely, you’ll see all sorts of oddities.

Below find a picture of one such woodlands curio. Guess what it is and you’ll be eligible to win a Northern Woodlands woodpecker magnet designed by artist Liz Wahid. A prize winner will be drawn at random from all the correct entries. The correct answer, and the winner’s name, will appear when the next column is posted and in our newsletter (sign up here!).

Mystery in Green

This flower was recently spotted emerging near our office. What is it?

Answer

Showy Orchid.

This beautiful spring ephemeral blooms April to June, before the canopy leafs out. It’s listed as Endangered in Maine, Threatened in New Hampshire, and Exploitably Vulnerable in New York. Like other orchids, the plant needs to develop a relationship with a fungus to obtain nutrients from the soil. According to the U.S. Forest Service, only fungi in the genus Ceratobasidium will do.
Congratulations to Maria Weick, and be sure to check out our feature story on alpine wildflowers in the Summer issue.

This week’s contest winner was Maria Weick of Dorchester, NH