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.

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

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

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.