Loesel's Liparis

Family: Orchidaceae. Loesel's Liparis is found in Western Europe, Asia Minor and North America. Usually grows on plains, sometimes rising into the mountains. Avoids strongly acidic soils.

A small plant, 8–20 cm tall, with a stem tuber covered by the bases of the previous year's leaves. Leaves 2, oblong, pointed, almost opposite, 4–11 cm long, gradually narrowed into a winged petiole. Inflorescence a raceme of 2–10 flowers. Bracts membranous, small, ovate-lanceolate, much shorter than the ovary. Flowers yellowish-green; outer perianth segments tongue-shaped to lanceolate, obtuse, with small auricles at the base, with 3 veins, 5–6 mm long; inner perianth segments reflexed, narrow-linear, with one vein. The lip is oval, slightly wavy at the margin. Narrowed at the base, with a small semi-oval tubercle, almost equal to the other perianth segments. Flowers in June–July.

The stem tuber first appears in the second year after seed germination, and the first leaf in the fourth year. Sometimes self-pollination is observed, which is aided by raindrops, but much more often it is pollinated by insects. The percentage of fruit set is very high.