SPECIES DESCRIPTION
ANACAMPTIS CORIOPHORA subsp. FRAGRANS

Family and Genus:- See- ORCHIDACEAE

Common Names:- Bug orchid

Homotypic Synonyms:- Anacamptis coriophora, Anteriorchis coriophora,
Herorchis coriophora, Orchis coriophora.

Meaning:- Anacamptis (Gr) Bent-back, reference to the long spur of the flower.
                 Coriophora (Gr) Carrying bugs, reference to the rather unpleasant
odour, however, the subspecies name fragrans suggests that this particular
subgroup of bug orchids has a more pleasant smell. 
                  Fragrans (L) Sweet scented, odorous, fragrant.

General description:- Low to medium perennial.

Stem:-
1) 15-30 cm tall, rather slender.

Leaves:-
1) Lower, 4-7, forming an indistinct rosette, broadly linear, unspotted.
2) Upper, sheathing the stem almost to the inflorescence.

Flowers:-
1) Spike, 3-7 cm, oblong-cylindrical, dense.
2) Flowers, fragrant.
3) Penanth segments, all 5 convergent into an acute to acuminate hood, usually
    pale reddish-purple.
4) Labellum, 5-8 mm, somewhat longer than wide, distinctly 3-lobed, with entire,
    ± obtuse lobes, variously pink or purple, usually with reddish-purple central
    spots and greenish edges.
5) Spur conical, downward-directed, ± equalling the ovary.

Key features:-
1) Penanth segments, all 5 convergent into an acute to acuminate hood,
2) Labellum, 5-8 mm.
3) Flowers, fragrant.

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- Dry open shrubby vegetation, dry grassland, scrub and open woodland. 0-
900 m.

Distribution:- Widespread in Greece, C europe and the Mediterranean region,
eastwards to caucasus and Iran. Widespread and fairly common on Crete.

Flowering time:- Mid-Apr to early June.

Photos by:- Steve Lenton