Wild Wonders of Europe / Benvie / Bird's nest orchid (Neottia nidus-avis) in flower, France, Queyras Natural Park, May 2009

Colin Varndell / Birdsnest orchid (Neottia nidus-avis) in flower, Dorset, UK May.

Kim Taylor / Bird's nest orchid (Neottia nidus-avis) in bud, Appenines, Italy, May.

MYN / Dirk Funhoff / Birds nest orchid (Neottia nidus-avis), Wörth am Rhein, Pfalz, Germany. June. Meetyourneighbours.net project

MYN / Dirk Funhoff / Bird's nest orchid (Neottia nidus-avis), Wörth am Rhein, Pfalz, Germany. June. Meetyourneighbours.net project

Andy Sands / Birds nest orchid (Neottia nidus-avis) flower growing in deep shade under Beech trees, Bedfordshire, England, UK, June

Andy Sands / Birds nest orchid (Neottia nidus-avis) Close up of individual flower, Bedfordshire, Englkand, UK, June, Focus Stacked Image

Mike Read / Bird's nest orchid (Neottia nidus-avis) near the Col du Rousset, Vercors Regional Natural Park, Vercors, France, June.

Paul Harcourt Davies / Bird's nest orchid (Neottia nidus-avis) a saprohytic orchid of ancient woodlands, Madonna di Campiglio, Trento, Italy, July.

Paul Harcourt Davies / Bird's nest orchid (Neottia nidus-avis) a saprohytic orchid of ancient European woodlands. Mount Terminillo, Rieti, Lazio, Italy, June.

Chris Mattison / Bird's nest orchid (Neottia nidus-avis), Bosci di Stilo, Calabria, Italy

MYN / Paul Harcourt Davies / Bird's nest orchid (Neottia nidus-avis) a saprohytic orchid of ancient European woodlands containing little or no chlorophyll, dependent upon mycorrhizal fungi in the tangled bird's nest of roots, Laz...

MYN / Paul Harcourt Davies / Bird's nest orchid (Neottia nidus-avis) a saprohytic orchid of ancient European woodlands containing little or no chlorophyll, dependent upon mycorrhizal fungi in the tangled bird's nest of roots, Laz...

MYN / Paul Harcourt Davies / Bird's nest orchid (Neottia nidus-avis) a saprohytic orchid of ancient European woodlands containing little or no chlorophyll, dependent upon mycorrhizal fungi in the tangled bird's nest of roots, Laz...

MYN / Paul Harcourt Davies / Bird's nest orchid (Neottia nidus-avis) a saprohytic orchid of ancient European woodlands containing little or no chlorophyll, dependent upon mycorrhizal fungi in the tangled bird's nest of roots, Laz...

Alex Hyde / Bird's Nest Orchid (Neottia nidus-avis) flowering in coniferous woodland. The plant lacks chlorophyll and obtains nutrients from fungal hypae which it parasitises. Nordtirol, Tirol, Austrian Alps, Aus...

Adrian Davies / Bird's Nest Orchid (Neottia nidus-avis), a non-photosynthetic plant. Surrey, England, May.

Robert Thompson / Bird's Nest Orchid (Neottia nidus-avis) in flower. This species is non-photosynthetic and gains nutrients from other plants' roots and from symbiotic relationships with fungi. North of Plitvice Nation...

Robert Thompson / Bird's Nest Orchid (Neottia nidus-avis) in flower. This species is non-photosynthetic and gains nutrients from other plants' roots and from symbiotic relationships with fungi. North of Plitvice Nation...

Steve Nicholls / Bird's nest orchid (Neottia nidus-avis) flowering, Buckholt beech woods,, Gloucestershire, UK, June

Paul Harcourt Davies / Bird's nest orchid (Neottia nidus-avis) a saprohytic orchid of ancient European woodlands containing little or no chlorophyll, dependent upon mycorrhizal fungi in the tangled bird's nest of roots, Ita...

Paul Harcourt Davies / Bird's nest orchid (Neottia nidus-avis) a saprohytic orchid of ancient European woodlands containing little or no chlorophyll, dependent upon mycorrhizal fungi in the tangled bird's nest of roots, Ita...

Peter Lewis / Birdsnest Orchid (Neottia nidus-avis) West Meon, Hampshire, England

Peter Lewis / Birdsnest Orchid (Neottia nidus-avis) West Meon, Hampshire, England

Peter Lewis / Birdsnest Orchid (Neottia nidus-avis) Hampshire, England

Wild Wonders of Europe / Benvie / Bird's nest orchid (Neottia nidus-avis) in flower, Queyras Natural Park, France, May 2009

Martin Gabriel / Bird's nest orchid (Neottia nidus-avis), emerging from forest floor, Germany, May

Ross Hoddinott / Bird's nest orchid (Neottia nidis-avis) close up of flowers, Devon, UK - saprophytic plant

Ross Hoddinott / Bird's nest orchid (Neottia nidis-avis). Devon, UK - saprophytic plant

Ross Hoddinott / Bird's nest orchid (Neottia nidis-avis) Cornwall, UK.

Paul Hobson / Bird's nest orchid {Neottia nidus-avis} England

Paul Hobson / Bird's nest orchid {Neottia nidus-avis} England

Duncan Usher / Bird's Nest Orchid (Neottia nidus-avis) gains nutrients from fungus which lives in its roots, Europe

Tony Evans / Birds nest orchid {Neottia nidus-avis} UK

Ross Hoddinott / Birds nest orchid, close-up {Neottia nidus-avis} Cornwall, UK

Ross Hoddinott / Birds nest orchid flower {Neottia nidus-avis} Cornwall, UK

Fabio Liverani / Bird's nest orchid flowers, saprophytic plant, Italy

Christian Ziegler / Bird's Nest Orchid (Neottia nidus-avis) receives nutrients from fungus symbionts, Lake Constance, Germany

Christoph Becker / Bird's nest orchid {Neottia nidus avis} Sweden

Adrian Davies / Birds nest orchid {Neottia nidus-avis} Surrey UK

Guy Edwardes / Birds nest orchid (Neottia nidus-avis) in flower in beech forest, near Bratsigovo, Bulgaria. May.

Paul Harcourt Davies / Lesser twayblade (Neottia cordata also Listera cordata) This is an orchid of acidic habitats, never very common but may be frequently overlooked because of its small size and a tendency to grow unde...

Paul Harcourt Davies / Lesser twayblade (Neottia cordata also Listera cordata) This is an orchid of acidic habitats, never very common but may be frequently overlooked because of its small size and a tendency to grow unde...

Paul Harcourt Davies / Bird's nest orchid (Neottia nidus-avis) a saprophytic orchid containing little or no chlorophyll, growing in woodland, Sibillini, Umbria, Italy. May.

Paul Harcourt Davies / Bird's nest orchid (Neottia nidus-avis), a saprohytic orchid dependent upon mycorrhizal fungi, in flower, Tuscany, Italy. June.

Guy Edwardes / Bird's nest orchid (Neottia nidus-avis), Powerstock Common DWT reserve, Dorset, UK, June.

Linda Pitkin / Bird's-nest orchid (Neottia nidus-avis), locally rare plant, Cockshott Wood, Mickleham, Surrey, England, May.

Linda Pitkin / Bird's-nest orchid (Neottia nidus-avis), locally rare species, Cockshott Wood, Mickleham, Surrey, England, May.

Linda Pitkin / Bird's-nest orchid (Neottia nidus-avis), locally rare species, Cockshott Wood, Mickleham, Surrey, England, May.

Steve Nicholls / Bird's nest orchid (Neottia nidus-avis) growing in Buckholt Wood, Gloucestershire, UK, June. It has no chlorophyll and is entirely dependent on fungi in the soil for its nutrition, allowing it to grow...

Steve Nicholls / Bird's nest orchid (Neottia nidus-avis) growing in Buckholt Wood, Gloucestershire, UK, June. It has no chlorophyll and is entirely dependent on fungi in the soil for its nutrition, allowing it to...

Steve Nicholls / Bird's nest orchid (Neottia nidus-avis) the old seed heads persist through the winter.