Listera
ovata, soikkokaksikko
The Common Twayplade has large, at theyre best hand-size leaves. As always
in Listeras, they are in pairs. The inflorescense, even up to meter
(3 feets) tall, arises between the leaves. The flowers are small and green,
not even exceptionally beautyfully shaped as in L. cordata. But
as this plant is usually common in the places where grows in, and as it
grows in large clups, this might be guite an impressive orchid. 
With good luck it is possible to find L. ovata in groves of southern Finland, for example in Lohja and other areas near to Helsinki, but it is common only in Ahvenanmaa. In there this plant it could at its best in its whole area of growth (the species is common in many parts of Europe). It is impossible not to find Listera from Ahvenanmaa, they grow everywhere. The plants over there are also very handsome. The plants have spread to whole Finland.
The species flowers perhaps the longest time of all of our orchids.
Flowering plants can be found as early as middle May, and the last flower
wither with leaves in August, when the seeds have dropped to ground long
time ago. The remaining of flowers after the seeds have dropped is a spcial
effect on Listeras.
The species is protected in Finland excluding Ahvenanmaa.
