Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.148008
Element CodePMORC0F010
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
CITESAppendix II
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassMonocotyledoneae
OrderOrchidales
FamilyOrchidaceae
GenusCephalanthera
SynonymsChloraea austiniaeA. GrayEburophyton austiniae(Gray) Heller
Other Common NamesCéphalanthère d'Austin (FR) Snow Orchid (EN)
Concept ReferenceKartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2025-01-27
Change Date1990-04-02
Edition Date2025-01-27
Edition AuthorsOgle, Y. (1987), rev. E. Joyal, rev. Soteropoulos (2025)
Threat ImpactUnknown
Range Extent200,000-2,500,000 square km (about 80,000-1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences> 300
Rank ReasonsCephalanthera austiniae is a wide-ranging perennial herb that occurs primarily in the mountains in western North America from southwestern British Columbia, Canada south in the United States to California, slightly disjunct in eastern Washington and northern Idaho. It is a mycoheterotroph, requiring a symbiotic relationship with ectomycorrhizal fungi primarily in undisturbed, old growth forests. Although there are over 500 estimated occurrences, populations are often small and widespread, facing numerous threats from development, logging and wood harvesting, livestock grazing, recreational activities, invasive species, and native species grazing. Little is known about trends, but with a large range extent and large number of occurrences, this species is considered apparently secure.
Range Extent CommentsCephalanthera austiniae occurs in western North America from southwestern British Columbia, Canada south in the United States to California, slightly disjunct in eastern Washington and northern Idaho, primarily in the mountains and including the following ranges: Olympic, Cascade, North Coastal, Klamath, Sierra Nevada, and South Coastal (FNA 2002, Jepson 2025). Range extent was estimated to be approximately 775,000 square kilometers using herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data documented between 1994 and 2025 (GBIF 2025, iNaturalist 2025, NatureServe 2025, SEINet 2025).
Occurrences CommentsBy applying a 1 km separation distance to herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data documented between 1994 and 2025, it is estimated that there are over 500 occurrences rangewide (GBIF 2025, iNaturalist 2025, NatureServe 2025, SEINet 2025).
Threat Impact CommentsAlthough threats are not widely documented, this species is threatened by habitat fragmentation and declining habitat quality from development, logging and wood harvesting, livestock grazing, recreational activities, invasive species, native species grazing, and other threats in some places (ECCC 2020, NatureServe 2025), though there is insufficient data, including anecdotal accounts, to understand scope and severity of threats for this species.