Single-tubered brovnik

Family Orchidaceae. Grows in Western Europe, Asia Minor, India, Mongolia, Tibet, China, Japan.

A plant with a solitary rounded tuber (very rarely two) up to 8 mm in diameter. Stem up to 35 cm high with 2 (rarely 3) leaves located at the base of the stem, obovate, up to 10 cm long. Inflorescence sparse, up to 10 cm long, consisting of 10–45 flowers. Flowers small, yellowish-green, with a noticeable honey scent, slightly nodding, with linear-lanceolate bracts. All perianth segments are arranged bell-shaped; the outer ones ovate-lanceolate, obtuse, up to 3 mm long; the 2 inner ones longer than the outer (up to 4 mm long), almost spear-shaped. The labellum is three-lobed, with the lateral lobes awl-shaped-linear and the median lobe longer (2.5 times) and thicker than the lateral ones. At the base of the labellum there is a small sac-like spur. Ovary twisted, slightly curved. Flowers in June–July.

It reproduces intensively by seed (up to 400 seeds in one fruit and up to 1,500 seeds per plant). Pollination is carried out by small wasps attracted by the strong scent of the flowers. Unlike most other tuberous orchids, brovnik can also reproduce vegetatively, since it often forms 2 tubers per year. Brovnik grows both on the plain and in the mountains, rising to 2,000 m above sea level.