Limodorum abortivum

L. abortivum is the only represenatative of its genus . The size ,color and shape of its flowers ranks with the beauty of many smaller tropical orchids. However ,its cultivation is out of the question -L.abortivum is fully dependent on ''its own '' fungi throughout its life and therefore extremely sensitive to any ecological changes in its environment .Moreover ,it leads a somewhat mysterious existance .Underground ,the species forms a thick rhizome with numorous ,strong roots tangled together like a nest. This nest-like shape ''sends''a purplish stem above the ground that reaches a length of 110-24in/25 -60 cm. The leaves are reduced to resembling scales ,they are brown and purple and completely clinging . The inflorescence is a sparse ,erect 12 in /30 cm long or shorter raceme bearing 5-20 purple or bluish flowers . The flowers often remain only partially open . The seeds of L.abortivum are ,along with those of Cypripedium calceolus,the largest among all European orchids -they measure a ''breathtaking ''0.06 in/1.5 mm!The individual development of the seedlings is extremely complicated and slow : the plant does not appear above the ground until after 8-10 years of underground existance .L.abortivum inhabits light forests ,bushy hillsides and infertile meadows .It blooms between April and July .It is highly thermophilic and is known to grow mainly in southern Europe and Northern Africa ,stretching also to southern persia .