Appearance
The single erect flower-stem is often tinged red and is clasped near the base by a pair or ovate-orbicular glossy green leaves. The small flowers which look deceptively simple in structure for an orchid, are purple-green in colour with a somewhat swollen calyx.
Naming
It was formerly placed in the genus ''Listera'', but molecular phylogenetic studies have shown that ''Neottia nidus-avis'', the Bird's-nest Orchid, evolved within the same group.
Distribution
It has a circumpolar distribution being found in Europe, Asia, Greenland and large parts of North America. In the United Kingdom its distribution is western and northern becoming most common in the western highlands and is also found in Snowdonia and the Lake District.References:
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