Superb saprophytes
Tonv Boniface 40 Pentland Avenue. Chelmsford, Essex CM1 4AZ
Flowering plants and fungi are in
different kingdoms in the natural
world, but nevertheless the Bird's
nest orchid Neottia nidus-avis
has acquired the same way of
obtaining its food. It has given
up making its sugars by
photosynthesis, as most other
flowering plants do, and taken to
living in the shade of woodlands.
The specimen illustrated was
found by Alf Gudgeon and
photographed by Tony Boniface
in May 2000 in a wood near
Matching Green in Essex.
Twayblades and Early purple
orchid Orchis mascula were also
in flower in this wood.
The Bird's nest orchid derives its
name from the tangled mass of
rots, which grow in association
with a fungus. This mycorrhizal
relationship enables the plant to
obtain food digested by the
fungus from the humus in which
it lives. The food is digested externally and the simpler soluble products formed are
absorbed across the surface of the fungus. Strictly speaking the orchid shows
mutualistic nutrition as both the plant and the mycorrhizal fungus obtain benefit from
their relationship.
Although rarely visited by small two-winged flies the flowers are usually self-
pollinated. It has a similar pollination mechanism to the Common twayblade Listera
cordata, in which the pollen masses arc stuck to the insect by the exudation of a drop
of sticky liquid, which is released when a part of the flower is touched by the insect in
search of nectar. The stigma is then exposed to receive the pollen masses from another
insect visiting in the future.
Essex Field Club Newsletter No. 33, September 2000
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