Ghost Orchid

Today we made a  successful second try at finding the exceptionally rare Ghost Orchid (Epipogium aphyllum) (found in very few  habitats from Western Europe into Asia). This one is barely two inches (10 cm) long, not including the stem.  It is not to be confused with the American ghost orchid, Dendrophylax lindenii, as the Wikipedia article notes. Today was the last day of our week-long nature tour in the Vercors region, and we stopped to search for the orchid on our drive from La Chapelle-en-Vercors to the Lyon Airport. Once there we bid farewell to our 14 fellow tour participants and two guides, and took a train to our hotel in Lyons, where we will stay two nights. It was an excellent tour--possibly the best among the half-dozen or more we have taken.