Pseudorchis albida: The solitary jewel beyond the hut

A special find during the day: the Pseudorchis albida. This high-mountain orchid is much rarer, and we only saw a single specimen. We located it just after leaving the Pinet Refuge, already in the subalpine zone, on the tough ascent towards the summits of Montcalm and Pica d'Estats.

Pseudorchis albida is a perennial terrestrial mountain orchid commonly found in the subalpine and alpine zones of the Pyrenees and other European ranges. It is characterized by its small size (8 to 30 cm) and its dense, cylindrical inflorescence, with tiny yellowish-white flowers that emit a gentle vanilla scent. It grows in damp meadows, high-altitude pastures, and bogs.