Neottia nidus-avis

"Neottia nidus-avis (L.) Rich., the bird's-nest orchid, is a non-photosynthetic orchid, native to Europe, Russia and some parts of the Middle East" 

Neottia nidus-avis (L.) Rich., De Orchid. Eur. 37 (1817).

Neottia nidus-avis (L.) Rich., Photo by Roxana Nicoara

its native range is Europe to Iran, NW. Africa.

Latin Name: 

Neottia nidus-avis (L.) Rich.

Family: 

Orchidaceae Juss.

Synonym:

Distomaea nidus-avis (L.) Spenn.

Epipactis nidus-avis (L.) Crantz

Helleborine nidus-avis (L.) F.W.Schmidt

Helleborine succulenta F.W.Schmidt

Malaxis nidus-avis (L.) Bernh.

Neottia abortiva Gray

Neottia macrostelis Peterm.

Neottia orobanchoidea St.-Lag.

Neottia squamosa Dulac

Neottidium nidus-avis (L.) Schltdl.

Ophrys nidus-avis L.

Serapias nidus-avis (L.) Steud.

English Name:

Bird’s-nest Orchid

Etymology:

The genus name Neottia means 'nest',a reference to the tangled root structure of orchids in this genus. The specific epithet nidus-avis means 'bird's nest', rather making the genus name superfluous.

Description: 

Rhizome 1.5-4.2 cm, horizontal. Stem 10-52 cm, solid, with 0.1-0.3 mm hairs, glanduliferous, patents. Leaves 3-6 reduced to scales, sheathing, obtuse, glabrous; sometimes prolonged superiors in a non-inking area, laminar, acute, up to 5 cm long. Inflorescence 7-22 cm, with 15-70 pedicelled flowers, the lower ones very spaced; bract of the basal flower 8,8-23 × 2-3 mm, generally longer than the adjacent flower, lanceolate, acute, glabrous. Sepals 6-7 × 2-2.5 mm, broadly lanceolate, obtuse, somewhat cucullate, with some glanduliferous hairs at the base of the outer face, of a light chestnut. Lateral petals 5-5.5 × 2 mm, ± spatulate, obtuse, glabrous, of a light chestnut; lip 9-11 × 5 mm, longer than the sepals, with a nectary area slightly excavated in the proximal part, with some hairs glanduliferous at the base of the outer face, of a light chestnut. Ginostemo 1-1,5 mm, ± cylindrical, erect, glabrous. Antera 1-1,5 mm, ovoid, obtuse. Ovary 7-8 mm long, with glanduliferous hairs. Fruit 10-11 × 5-6 mm, with 6 ribs. Seeds 0.6-0.8 × 0.1 mm.

Distribution:

Albania, Algeria, Altay, Austria, Baleares, Baltic States, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Central European Rus, Corse, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, East European Russia, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Hungary, Iran, Ireland, Italy, Krasnoyarsk, Krym, Morocco, Netherlands, North Caucasus, North European Russi, Northwest European R, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sardegna, Sicilia, South European Russi, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Transcaucasus, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkey-in-Europe, Ukraine, West Siberia, Yugoslavia. 

Ecological:

This saprophytic herb is most frequent in the deep humus of densely shaded Fagus woods on chalky soils. Less commonly it occurs in mixed deciduous woodland and mature Corylus coppices, on soils derived from limestones and base-rich clays and sands. Lowland.

Flowering times:

In the UK and Ireland Bird's-nest Orchids usually flower from early May to late June.

Flower size:

8.0 mm.

Cultivation:

Endangerment: 

Near threatened, protected in all of Finland except the Åland Islands.

Typus:

Reference: 

theplantlist.org

https://www.ipni.org/n/645356-1

http://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:645356-1

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neottia_nidus-avis

http://www.orchidspecies.com/coelzyrekes.htm 

https://www.brc.ac.uk/plantatlas/plant/neottia-nidus-avis

https://www.ecuagenera.com/Coelogyne-xyrekes/en

https://ukrbin.com/index.php?id=97148

https://www.first-nature.com/flowers/neottia-nidus-avis.php

https://www.luontoportti.com/suomi/en/kukkakasvit/birds-nest-orchid