WILD FLOWERS OF THE BRITISH ISLES 
twisting of the seedcase. The outer row of the perianth is of 3 lobes and forms a hood with 
the upper 2 lobes of the inner perianth-row, the remaining lobe, the lip (labellum) being much 
larger, deflexed, 2-lobed, and not spurred but slightly pouched at the base. The column is long 
and is prolonged into a flat, broad, entire, beak-like rostellum, on which is situated the free anther ; 
there are 2 stalkless pollen-masses, united, roundly club-shaped, and attached to a single gland, 
and the pollen is mealy, very slightly cohering ; the stigma is transverse ; the seedcase twisted. 
Brown herbs deriving their food from decaying vegetation (saprophytes), without green leaves, their 
place being taken by sheathing brown bracts, and with a dense mass of thick fleshy root-fibres, 
which give rise to its name. 
Bird’s-nest Orchid. (Neot'tia Nidus-avis. Rich.) — The only British species. As just 
described. The flowers are of a pale brown, in a dense spike-like cluster (raceme), with a few 
distant flowers below, terminating a stem about a foot high. The whole plant is of varying shades 
of brown. [ Plate 50. 
Not uncommon. Growing among dead leaves, especially among Beech leaves, in shady woods, 
throughout England, more rare in Scotland, and very rare in Ireland. June — July. Perennial. 
VI. TW AY-BLADE. (LIS'TERA. R. Brown.) — Flowers small, gaping, stalked, greenish, 
turning in all directions, in a loose terminal spike-like cluster (raceme), with the lip (labellum) 
lowermost (inverted) owing to the twisting of the seedcase. The outer row of the perianth 
of 3 lobes, broader than the inner, spreading ; the inner row of 3 lobes, the two side ones similar 
to the outer row, and the lip (labellum) much larger though narrow, pendulous, 2-lobed, and 
sometimes with a smaller lobe on each side at the base, not spurred. The column is short, 
and extends in front into a large entire leafy rostellum which projects above the stigma, at the back 
the column is prolonged above the rostellum and protects the anther, which is situated behind and 
above the rostellum ; the anther has 2 stalkless pollen-masses, united, club-shaped, attached 
to a single minute gland ; the pollen is mealy ; the stigma is situated on the column underneath 
the rostellum ; the seedcase is twisted. Herbs with 2 opposite or nearly opposite leaves a little 
distance above the base of the stem, with sheathing bracts below, and with a root of thin fleshy 
root-fibres. 
(1) Common Tway-blade. (Lis'tera ovata.) — Flowers in a long spike; lip 2-lobed; leaves 
large, egg-shaped. 
(2) Lesser Tway-blade. (Lis'tera cordata.) — Flowers in a short spike ; lip 4-lobed ; column 
with a crest ; leaves small, heart-shaped at the base. 
1. Common Tway-blade. (Lis'tera OV&ta. R. Brown.)— As just described. The 
flowers stalked, small, yellowish-green, in a long, slender, loose, spike-like cluster (raceme) ; the 
bracts at the base of each flower-stalk not quite half as long as the stalk ; the lip (labellum) more 
than twice as long as the other perianth-lobes, and divided halfway up into 2 strap-shaped 
segments, but without lobes on either side at the base ; and the column without a crest. The 
stem is 1-2 feet high, downy, with 2 sheaths at the base, and with, halfway up the stem, a pair 
of large egg-shaped (ovate) leaves, 2-5 inches long, which are strongly ribbed. [ Plate 50. 
Common. In woods and moist pastures, distributed throughout England, Scotland, and Ireland. 
May — July. Perennial. 
2. Lesser Tway-blade. (Lis'tera corddta. R. Brown.)— A much smaller, slighter 
species than the last, with a shorter spike of very small greenish flowers, which have the lip 
(labellum) twice as long as the other perianth-lobes, and divided, as in the last species, halfway up 
