Common Twayblade and Yellow-wort

Common Twayblade (Listera ovata)

Colour photograph of the Common Twayblade (Listera ovata) wild flower found on the grassland dunes of Bull Island, Dublin. The distinctive pair of broad oval darkly-veined leaves near the base of the stem is the easiest way of locating common twayblade in the midst of the grasses. Its thin erect stem, about 35 cm high, and loose flowerhead of about 15-20 green flowers blends into the grassy background. The pale green flower has a hood formed by the sepals and upper two petals. The very long lower lip, 10-15 mm, is deeply divided in a blunt fork and bent towards the back of the flowerhead. Unlike most orchids, there is no spur. Flowers: June-July

By kind permission of Dorothy Forde

Common Twayblade (Listera ovata)
By kind permission of Dorothy Forde

Common Twayblade (Listera ovata)

Colour photograph of the Common Twayblade (Listera ovata) wild flower found on the grassland dunes of Bull Island, Dublin. The distinctive pair of broad oval darkly-veined leaves near the base of the stem is the easiest way of locating common twayblade in the midst of the grasses. Its thin erect stem, about 35 cm high, and loose flowerhead of about 15-20 green flowers blends into the grassy background. The pale green flower has a hood formed by the sepals and upper two petals. The very long lower lip, 10-15 mm, is deeply divided in a blunt fork and bent towards the back of the flowerhead. Unlike most orchids, there is no spur. Flowers: June-July

By kind permission of Dorothy Forde

Enlarge image

COMMON TWAYBLADE(Listera ovata)

The distinctive pair of broad oval darkly-veined leaves near the base of the stem is the easiest way of locating common twayblade in the midst of the grasses.

 

Its thin erect stem, about 35 cm high, and loose flowerhead of about 15-20 green flowers blends into the grassy background.

 

The pale green flower has a hood formed by the sepals and upper two petals. The very long lower lip, 10-15 mm, is deeply divided in a blunt fork and bent towards the back of the flowerhead. Unlike most orchids, there is no spur.

 

Flowers: June-July

Yellow-wort (Blackstonia perfoliata)

Colour photograph of the Yellow-wort (Blackstonia perfoliata) wild flower found on the grassland dunes of Bull Island, Dublin. Yellow-wort has a firm erect stem rising up to 40 cm high. There is a basal rosette of bluish-green oval leaves and perfoliate paired stem leaves--that is, the leaves are united at their base around the stem forming a boat-shaped cup with the stem rising through the centre. The stem branches near the top forming a loose cyme of short flower stalks. The bright yellow flower has 8 spreading pointed petals united at base. It is about 15 mm across. There are 8 prominent stamens rising from a superior ovary and the flowerhead is cupped in an 8-lobed green calyx. Fruit is a rounded capsule. This distinctive plant can be found all across the grassland dunes during late summer, lasting well into October. Flowers: July-October

By kind permission of Dorothy Forde

Yellow-wort (Blackstonia perfoliata)
By kind permission of Dorothy Forde

Yellow-wort (Blackstonia perfoliata)

Colour photograph of the Yellow-wort (Blackstonia perfoliata) wild flower found on the grassland dunes of Bull Island, Dublin. Yellow-wort has a firm erect stem rising up to 40 cm high. There is a basal rosette of bluish-green oval leaves and perfoliate paired stem leaves--that is, the leaves are united at their base around the stem forming a boat-shaped cup with the stem rising through the centre. The stem branches near the top forming a loose cyme of short flower stalks. The bright yellow flower has 8 spreading pointed petals united at base. It is about 15 mm across. There are 8 prominent stamens rising from a superior ovary and the flowerhead is cupped in an 8-lobed green calyx. Fruit is a rounded capsule. This distinctive plant can be found all across the grassland dunes during late summer, lasting well into October. Flowers: July-October

By kind permission of Dorothy Forde

Enlarge image

YELLOW-WORT(Blackstonia perfoliata)

Yellow-wort has a firm erect stem rising up to 40 cm high. There is a basal rosette of bluish-green oval leaves and perfoliate paired stem leaves--that is, the leaves are united at their base around the stem forming a boat-shaped cup with the stem rising through the centre. The stem branches near the top forming a loose cyme of short flower stalks.
 

The bright yellow flower has 8 spreading pointed petals united at base. It is about 15 mm across. There are 8 prominent stamens rising from a superior ovary and the flowerhead is cupped in an 8-lobed green calyx. Fruit is a rounded capsule.
 

This distinctive plant can be found all across the grassland dunes during late summer, lasting well into October.
 

Flowers: July-October

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