A genus of orchids characterized by a hollow or concave labellum (lip), commonly found in temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere.
From Greek 'koilos' (hollow) + 'glossa' (tongue), named for the distinctive concave shape of the flower's lower lip. The genus was formally named in botanical taxonomy during the 19th century.
This orchid's name literally means 'hollow tongue,' and that concave lip actually functions as a landing platform that guides insects precisely toward the flower's pollen—nature's engineering at its finest!
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