Inflorescences: floral bracts averaging 1-2.8 mm, often forked. Flowers: middle lobe of lip distinctly expanded, ratio of width of dilated part to base of middle lobe greater than than 1.5; column curved, 3.5-7.8 × 1-1.3 mm at stigma; stigmatic surface oblong-pentagonal, 0.8 × 1.3 mm.
Flowering Apr--Jul. Coniferous and mixed woods, and conifer plantations; 0--3700 m; St. Pierre and Miquelon (variety unconfirmed); Alta., B.C., Man., N.B., Nfld. and Labr. (Nfld.), N.S., Ont., P.E.I., Que., Sask.; Ariz., Calif., Colo., Conn., Idaho, Ill., Maine, Mass., Mich., Minn., Mont., Nebr, Nev., N.H., N.Mex., N.Y., Oreg., Pa., S.Dak., Utah, Vt., Va., Wash., Wis., Wyo.
Where they occur together, Corallorhiza maculata var. occidentalis typically flowers 2-4 weeks earlier than C. maculata var. maculata.