Kokushnik

Family Orchidaceae. Name: Greek, means "bare gland", given because of the exposed glands (the viscidium). The Russian name derives from the word "cuckoo" (kokushka - archaic; "povâzat'sâ kokushkoy" meant to throw a headscarf over the head and tie it under the chin); the hood of the Kokushnik flower resembles a small headscarf.

Distributed in the temperate latitudes of Eurasia and North America. The genus includes 10 species of terrestrial orchids, of which 4 occur in our country. Plants 15–70 cm tall. Root tubers palmately lobed. Stem with green linear or linear-lanceolate acute leaves. Inflorescence a many-flowered spike. Flowers small, lilac-pink, light lilac-purple or white (rarely). The upper ovate sepal and two petals form a hood; the lateral sepals are reflexed, oblong, and asymmetric. The labellum (lip) is rhombic, three-lobed. The spur is filiform or cylindrical, equal to the ovary or somewhat longer.