Neottia auriculata

Neottia auriculata [Auricled Twayblade]

Fungus Gnat on the flower of Neottia auriculata. Coos County, N.H. 7-2-22

Fungus Gnat on the flower of Neottia auriculata. Coos County, N.H. 7-2-22. Notice the tiny hair like filament the gnat seems to be feeding on.

Fungus Gnat on the flower of Neottia auriculata. Coos County, N.H. 7-2-22

This series of pictures shows Fungus Gnats [a known pollinator of this orchid] on two different plants at two different locations. Neottia auriculata, Coos County, N.H. 7-2-22

Auricled Twayblade [Neottia auriculata], in the rain. Coos County, N.H. 7-5-22

After first discovering this tiny orchid in the fall of 2014 [in seed] in a remote area of northern New Hampshire and having it confirmed by noted orchid author and friend Paul Martin Brown, this year was only the third time seeing it bloom. In the rain the flowers appear translucent, and it would be safe to say that this tiny beauty is my favorite of all the orchids. Coos County, N.H. 7-5-21. Auricled twayblade [Neottia auriculata] !

Its hard to explain my love and fascination of tiny orchids, and the tiny insects that pollinate them [you can just see a tiny fungus gnat on one of the flowers] , but this one is at the top of my list. I was fortunate to find this site in the fall of 2014, this year was only the third time seeing them in bloom. A stones throw form the Canadian border [okay maybe two]. Auricled Twayblade [Neottia auriculata] and habitat. 7-4-22. What an honor it was to show this site to orchid author and dear friend Paul Martin Brown in 2015, he passed away last year.

Neottia auriculata. Coos County,N.H.7-4-21. All that is left of this years flower, notice the ovary is started to swell with seeds behind the flower stalk after having been pollinated by a fungus gnat at an earlier time.

Neottia auriculata. Coos County,N.H.7-4-21. All that is left of this years flower, notice the ovary is started to swell with seed behind the flower stalk after having been pollinated by a fungus gnat at an earlier time.

Close up of the anther cap which holds the pollen for the flower of Neottia auriculata. Coos County,N.H.7-4-21

Neottia auriculata. Coos County,N.H.7-4-21

Neottia auriculata, with the flowers all but gone, you can see the ovaries swelling behind the flowers with seed. Coos County, N.H.7-4-21

Neottia auriculata and habitat [ stream and river banks that have been scoured by winters ice]. Coos County, New Hampshire.7-4-21