New Zealand has over 30 different greenhood orchids, rarely noticed unless you know about them, but often right alongside a track you may be walking. They flower in spring. They have a sneaky way of ensuring pollination, by trapping the visiting insect on a sticky surface so that it is forced to give up any pollen it is carrying from another plant, and picking up pollen from the donor orchid at the same time. I like them – they remind me of sock puppets and are somewhat flamboyant.
