BIRD'S-NEST ORCHID

Neottia nidus-avis

Orchid Family [Orchidaceae]

June 2000, Warburg Reserve, Bucks.

Photo: © Phil And Ann Farrer

Lacking chlorophyl, it looks more like a dead or decaying plant, and is entirely saprophytic, which means it parasitizes other plants for nourishment, although the word myco-heterotrophs is now known to be technically more correct, since the plants actually parasitise fungi which are feeding on nearby plants, rather than on nearby plants directly.

June 2009, Killiecrankie, Perthshire, Scotland.

Photo: © Phil And Ann Farrer

The stem is fawny white when fresh and not last seasons growth. The leaves are but sheathing scales. The flowers in a spike at the top.

June 2009, Killiecrankie, Perthshire, Scotland.

Photo: © Phil And Ann Farrer

Both petals and sepals are short and similar colour, and form a hood above a broad, longer and splayed-out forking lip. At the base of the lip a shallow cup holds nectar. The plant smells of honey, as well as being the colour tint of honey.

June 2009, Killiecrankie, Perthshire, Scotland.

The hood consists of four sepals virtually hiding all the stamens, but for a small portion protruding from a flower on the left. The short stem of the flower quickly leads onto the curved swollen ovary.

Some similarities to : Ghost Orchid which also lacks chlorophyll, but that has a greyish stem and very weakly tinted sepals and flowers, being faintly greenish and faintly purplish respectively.

Uniquely identifiable characteristics

Distinguishing Feature : The 'dead' look.

No relation to : Yellow Bird's-nest [a plant with similar name but which is not an orchid, but yet another saprophyte (or more correctly a myco-heterotrophs). Nor is it related to Bird-in-a-Bush, Bird's-foot, Bird's-Foot Trefoil nor to Bird Cherry.

Habitat is woods especially those of Beech and yew on chalky soils, in deep shade. Sometimes grows with another 'saprophyte' and similar sounding plant, Yellow Bird's-nest, which is not an orchid. Also grows in mixed broad-leaved woodland and in Hazel coppices. Always where there is a deep overlay of leaf humous. Avoids conifers.

Flowers end of April to the beginning of July.

It acquires its' name from the root system, which resembles a bird's nest of twisted and tangled sticks.

The plant smells of honey, as well as being the colour tint of honey.

Distribution
family8Orchid family8Orchidaceae

BSBI maps

Neottia
(Twayblades)