Cephalanthera
longifolia, miekkavalkku
This is perhaps the most handsome plant in its genus. It only grows in
Ahvenanmaa and in one island of Turku´s coast. I have also heard
a very unsure rumour of C. longifolia growing in continent. Despite
its rarity, this species has become more common in the hundred years it
has known to be growing in Finland (first mentioned in 1901). Anyway it
wound be found in accidense, it is still a rarity. It is clearly more common
in other places in Europe, and the only place I have seen this species
in, Öland, is truly "fylled" with these
beauties.
The species is protected by law in Ahvenanmaa.
Flowering takes place in June.
This species, just like C. rubra, has long, narrow leaves. Flowering stem is sbout halv meters (1,5 feets) tall. Flowers are pure white, and they don´t open widely. This is perhaps the most handsome of all Finnish orchids. But as it has no nectar, there are only few insects pollinating the flowers - in Finland only very few flowers get pollinated. I was resently listening for a speak about this spcecies, and the speaker mentioned, as a joke, of course, that this could possibly be the only finnish plant which is pollinated by mammals. When deers eat the upper flowers of the plants, they sometimes pollinate the flower (usually they leave one flower) remaining on the stem.
