Plants & Nature
Heath-spotted orchid
Tags: Flowers Description: The heath-spotted orchid is the most common orchid in Norwegian nature. It is found on bog and in damp areas across the whole country.
Tags: Flowers Description: The heath-spotted orchid is the most common orchid in Norwegian nature. It is found on bog and in damp areas across the whole country. It takes its name from the appearance of the leaves, which most often have a mass of black spots (a number of other orchids do, however, also have similar spots). The flowers can vary greatly in colour from almost white to dark pink. The species can therefore be difficult to tell apart from other species of marihånd. The Norwegian name marihånd is connected to the pale, smooth root tuber having been called the Virgin Mary’s Hand, while the dark, shrivelled one was called the Devil’s Hand. Use: In common with other orchid species, the plant has two root tubers. One is from last year and is dark and shrivelled, while this year’s tuber is pale and smooth. These root tubers can resemble a man’s testicles and have therefore, ever since antiquity, been used as a means of strengthening the sex drive. A decoction of the tubers was drunk or rubbed on the genitals when a man experienced impotence or a woman was infertile. It was said that if spouses had fallen out with each other, one could place the root in the bed between them, and the next day they would be on good terms again. If a woman wished a man to love her, she could put the root tuber under his pillow. Habitat type: Water and bog Edible: No Written by: Lærke Stewart
Heath-spotted orchid. Photo: Lærke Søndergaard Stewart
, https://snl.no/flekkmarihĂĄnd, CC-BY-SA](Flekkmarih%C3%A5nd/Flekkmarihand_blomst.jpeg)
Heath-spotted orchid in typical habitat. The leaves have distinct dark spots. Vasstronde, Voss. Photo: John Magne Grindeland, https://snl.no/flekkmarihĂĄnd, CC-BY-SA
, https://snl.no/flekkmarihĂĄnd, CC-BY-SA](Flekkmarih%C3%A5nd/Nrbilde_blomst_flekkmarihand.jpeg)
Close-up of the flower of the heath-spotted orchid. The two pollinia are visible as two dark clubs above the opening to the spur. Rovsætra, Orkdal Photo: John Magne Grindeland, https://snl.no/flekkmarihånd, CC-BY-SA
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