Listera
cordata, herttakaksikko
This species, the Lesser twayplade, can suprise with its cuteness. The
plant is really small, rarely more than 10 cm (4") heigh. At its best it
might reach the high of 15 cm (6"). As the scientific and Finnish common
name ("heart-douple") tells, the leaves have a shape of a heart, sometimes
they look more like a triangle. The rhizome is small and dries easily,
so this plant can´t grow in too dry places.
In dry summers it may not appear at all, and stays under ground.
The flowers are small but even more beautyful. The lip has nice decoraties. The most beautyful, dark red-green specimens come from the Lapland (northern Finland). Further south the plants are green or little reddish.
The species is a typical plant of wet woods, propably places with underground-springs. Unlike L. ovata, L. cordata does not need lime, but doesn´t actually avoid it, neither. The species is circumpolear, it grows around the world in northern, cold areas. It is common in whole Finland besides Lapland, where it is more rare.
Flowering takes place from May to July.
