Country diary: A remarkable story of a remarkable plant | Tim Earl

Stoney Mountain, Isle of Man: The lesser twayblade orchid has been giving the island's botanists the runaround for nearly 150 years. Now, suddenly, we have hundredsExcitement ran high when lesser twayblade, a diminutive, two?leafed orchid that normally grows under the cover of heather, was found by the botanists Aline Thomas and Andree Dubbeldam on one of our southern hills. After all, it had not been recorded in the island since 1881, and their Sunday walk close to Snuff the Wind - a former mine - had hardly been charged with expectation. A government ranger was called and the record was made official.That was in 2009. Afterwards, three further records were found, but then the shy little plant slipped back into hiding. Continue reading...