Front Yard Flora - Epipactis helleborine - Marin's Orchid Weed

          This past year I've blogged about several of Marin's Native Orchids and during my research I read about a non-native wild orchid that grows throughout Marin as a weed.
          As it turns out I was doing some weeding in my front yard in San Rafael when I noticed a weed with tiny flowers on it. Before pulling it up I took time to inspect it and after one glance I knew just what it was, Epipactis helleborine.

Epipactis helleborine - Orchid that's a Weed
          It has a striking resemblance to Epipactis gigantea (Stream Orchids) but slightly smaller and not as vibrantly colored.
          I've left it alone and have seen more coming up in the backyard as well. Without really looking at them up close, most people might not even realize they are orchids.