Wild Wonders of Europe / Elander / Stemless gentian (Gentiana acaulis) close-up of flower, El Ilempo, Canillo, Andorra, June 2009

Wild Wonders of Europe / Giesbers / Stemless gentian (Gentiana clusii) flowers, an ant in one of them, Liechtenstein, June 2009. Highly Commended in the Creative Visions of Nature category, Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2010.

Wild Wonders of Europe / Giesbers / Stemless gentian (Gentiana acaulis) flowers, Liechtenstein, June 2009

Wild Wonders of Europe / Giesbers / Two Stemless gentian (Gentiana clusii) flowers, Liechtenstein, June 2009

Wild Wonders of Europe / Giesbers / Stemless gentian (Gentiana clusii) close-up of flower, Liechtenstein, June 2009

Russell Cooper / Dwarf thistle (Cirsium acaule) North Downs, Surrey, England, UK, July.

Nick Hawkins / Pink lady's slipper orchid (Cypripedium acaule) photographed on black background, New Brunswick, Canada, June.

Nick Hawkins / Pink lady's slipper orchid (Cypripedium acaule) photographed on white background, New Brunswick, Canada, June.

Nick Hawkins / Pink lady's slipper orchid (Cypripedium acaule) photographed on white background, New Brunswick, Canada, June.

Nick Hawkins / Pink lady's slipper orchid (Cypripedium acaule) New Brunswick, Canada, June.

Nick Hawkins / Pink lady's slipper orchid (Cypripedium acaule) in forest, New Brunswick, Canada, June.

Nick Hawkins / Pink lady's slipper orchid (Cypripedium acaule) photographed on black background, New Brunswick, Canada, June.

Nick Hawkins / Pink lady's slipper orchid (Cypripedium acaule) New Brunswick, Canada, June.

Lynn M. Stone / Spotted turtle (Clemmys guttata) with Pink lady's-slipper orchid (Cypripedium acaule). Killingworth, Connecticut, USA. Species of concern throughout its range, endangered species.

Nick Garbutt / Trumpet / Stemless gentian (Gentiana acaulis) flowers, Nordtirol, Austrian Alps, Austria, July.

Nick Garbutt / Trumpet / Stemless gentian (Gentiana acaulis) Nordtirol, Austrian Alps, Austria, July.

Jim Brandenburg / Stemless Lady's Slipper (Cypripedium acaule) flower, Minnesota

Alex Hyde / Photographer focusing on a Trumpet / Stemless Gentian (Gentiana acaulis) Nordtirol, Austrian Alps. June.

Alex Hyde / Photographer focusing on a Trumpet / Stemless Gentian (Gentiana acaulis) Nordtirol, Austrian Alps. June.

Alex Hyde / Trumpet / Stemless Gentian (Gentiana acaulis) Nordtirol, Austrian Alps. June.

Alex Hyde / Trumpet / Stemless Gentian (Gentiana acaulis) Nordtirol, Austrian Alps. June.

Alex Hyde / Trumpet / Stemless Gentian (Gentiana acaulis) Nordtirol, Austrian Alps. June.

Alex Hyde / Trumpet / Stemless Gentian flower (Gentiana acaulis) close up detail of stigma, Nordtirol, Austrian Alps. June.

Alex Hyde / Trumpet / Stemless Gentian flower (Gentiana acaulis) looking down the middle of the flower, showing five-fold symmetry. Nordtirol, Austrian Alps. June.

Alex Hyde / Trumpet / Stemless Gentian (Gentiana acaulis) Nordtirol, Austrian Alps. June.

Adrian Davies / Dwarf thistle (Cirsium acaule) flowers and seeds, Surrey, UK, August.

MYN / Clay Bolt / Pink Ladyslipper Orchid (Cypripedium acaule) Pickens, South Carolina, USA, April. Meetyourneighbours.net project

Nick Upton / Stemless thistle (Cirsium acaule) flowering on south facing slope of a chalk grassland meadow, Wiltshire, UK, August.

Nick Upton / Stemless thistle (Cirsium acaule) flowering on south facing slope of a chalk grassland meadow, Wiltshire, UK, August.

Alex Hyde / Trumpet / Stemless Gentian (Gentiana acaulis) Aosta Valley, Monte Rosa Massif, Pennine Alps, Italy. July.

Alex Hyde / Trumpet / Stemless Gentian (Gentiana acaulis) growing amongst rocks in Aosta Valley, Monte Rosa Massif, Pennine Alps, Italy. July.

Alex Hyde / Trumpet / Stemless Gentian (Gentiana acaulis) Aosta Valley, Monte Rosa Massif, Pennine Alps, Italy. July.

Nick Upton / Stemless / Dwarf carline thistle / Silver thistle (Carlina acaulis) with single large flower bud at 1800m in the Julian Alps, Triglav National Park, Slovenia, July

Nick Upton / Stemless / Dwarf carline thistle / Silver thistle (Carlina acaulis) with single large flower bud at 1800m in the Julian Alps, Triglav National Park, Slovenia, July

Alex Hyde / Trumpet / Stemless gentian (Gentiana acaulis) in flower on mountainside, Nordtirol, Austrian Alps, 2300 metres, June.

Robert Thompson / Stemless gentian (Gentiana acaulis) flowering in alpine meadow, Gran Sasso Monti Della Laga National Park, Abruzzo, Italy, May

LYNN M. STONE / Pink Lady's Slipper / Moccasin Flower/ Stemless Lady's-Slipper (Cypripedium acaule) growing in deciduous forest edge, Rhode island, USA

LYNN M. STONE / Pink Lady's Slipper / Moccasin Flower/ Stemless Lady's-Slipper (Cypripedium acaule) growing in deciduous forest edge, Rhode island, USA

Philippe Clement / Stemless gentian (Gentiana acaulis) in flower, Switzerland

Wild Wonders of Europe / Giesbers / Stemless gentian (Gentiana acaulis) flowers, Liechtenstein, June 2009

Nick Garbutt / Adult Wagler's pit / Temple viper (Tropidolaemus wagleri) in thorns on the stemless Asam Paya Palm (Eleiodoxa conferta) Bako NP, Sarawak, Borneo, Malaysia.

Fabio Liverani / Stemless gentian (Gentiana clusii), Grigne Montain, Lombardia Region, Italy

Christoph Becker / Stemless gentian in flower (Gentiana clusii) SWITZERLAND

Nick Garbutt / Close-up of thorns on Stemless asam paya palm {Eleiodoxa conferta} Swamp forest, Bako National Park, Sarawak, Borneo.

Martin Gabriel / Carline thistle flowers {Carlina aucalis} Bavaria, Germany

Martin Gabriel / Carline thistle flower {Carlina aucalis} Bavaria, Germany

Jim Brandenburg / Stemless Lady's Slipper (Cypripedium acaule) orchid cluster growing on forest floor, Minnesota

Jim Brandenburg / Stemless Lady's Slipper (Cypripedium acaule) orchid on forest floor, Minnesota

Benjamin Olson / Stemless Lady's Slipper (Cypripedium acaule) flowers, George H. Crosby Manitou State Park, Minnesota

Konrad Wothe / Stemless Gentian (Gentiana clusii) flower, Upper Bavaria, Germany

Konrad Wothe / Stemless Gentian (Gentiana clusii) with Ant (Formicidae), Upper Bavaria, Germany

Konrad Wothe / Stemless Gentian (Gentiana clusii) flowering in meadow, Upper Bavaria, Germany

Fabio Liverani / Stemless gentian (Gentiana clusii), Grigne Montain, Lombardia Region, Italy

Fabio Liverani / Stemless gentian (Gentiana clusii), Grigne Montain, Lombardia Region, Italy

Adrian Davies / Fossil fruit of stemless palm {Nipa burtini} Eocene period, London Clay, London UK 55 - 34

Robin Chittenden / Stemless carline thistle (Carlina acaulis) in flower, Pyrenees, Spain. August.

Konrad Wothe / Clusius' gentian (Gentiana clusii) and Bird's-eye primrose (Primula farinosa) flowering in spring meadow, Upper Bavaria, Germany. April.

Konrad Wothe / Clusius' gentian (Gentiana clusii) in flower in grassland, Upper Bavaria, Germany. April.

Konrad Wothe / Carline thistle (Carlina acaulis) in flower, Alps, Upper Bavaria, Germany. October.

Jean E. Roche / House built out of Larch (Larix decidua) with doorframe decorated with Stemless carline thistle (Carlina acaulis) flowerheads. Provence-Alpes-Cotes-d'Azur, France. July.

Paul Harcourt Davies / Stemless carline thistle (Carlina acaulis) in flower on mountainside, Mount Vettore, Umbria, Italy. September.

Paul Harcourt Davies / Stemless carline thistle (Carlina acaulis) growing with Bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus), Mount Vettore, Umbria, Italy. September.

Paul Harcourt Davies / Stemless carline thistle (Carlina acaulis ) in flower, Mount Vettore, Umbria, Italy. September.

Paul Harcourt Davies / Stemless carline thistle (Carlina acaulis) about to flower, Lazio, Italy. August.

Linda Pitkin / Dwarf thistle (Cirsium acaule). Surrey, England, UK. August.

Linda Pitkin / Dwarf thistle (Cirsium acaule) in flower, Box Hill, Surrey, England, July.

Steve Nicholls / Seeds of Stemless thistle (Cirsium acaulon) Collected Nailsworth, Gloucestershire, UK. September 2011. Composite image

Steve Nicholls / Seed of Stemless thistle (Cirsium acaulon), Iton Mills Common, Gloucestershire, UK. September 2011

Nigel Cattlin / Dwarf thistle (Cirsium acaule) stemless purpl;e flowering thistle in short calcareous grassland, Berkshire, England, UK, July