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Neottia nidus-avis - Bird's-nest Orchid
Invariably concealed among the leaf litter in dark woodland, the Bird's-nest Orchid is so called because its tangle of short roots resembles a badly made bird's nest. Lacking cholorophyll, this orchid is entirely dependent on another plant or 'host' for its nutrients. The flower spike can often have up to 100 densely-packed flowers which, like the rest of the plant, are golden brown turning darker with age. This plant is widely distributed throughout Europe, North Africa and the Near East. The specimen above was photographed under lime trees in west Wales in early May.
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