Snow orchid

''Cephalanthera austiniae'' is a species of orchid known by the common names phantom orchid and snow orchid because the entire plant is white except for a few yellow markings on the flowers. The orchid is native to the western United States , and to British Columbia, Canada. ''Cephalanthera austiniae'' is the only species of genus ''Cephalanthera'' native to the Western Hemisphere.

This is also the only ''Cephalanthera'' species entirely dependent on symbiotic mycorrhizae for its nutrition. This mycoheterotrophic orchid has no chlorophyll, so it makes no energy for itself.