To my surprise I found several red helleborines [Cephalanthera rubra] (Rotes Waldvögelein) in the nearby forest. I never noticed such orchids there before. It is a perennial plant but it seems that sometimes it doesn't come into bloom for several years. It's seeds don't have any endosperm. Therefore they need the help of a mycorrhiza. It prefers calcareous soil which helps color the flowers. The orchid is protected in Switzerland. It is found from Northern Africa to Scandinavia and to Eastern Europe (Caucasus Mountains).
