LIMODORUM ABORTIVUM

Family and Genus:- See- ORCHIDACEAE

Common Names:- Violet limodore, Violet birdsnest.

Homotypic Synonyms:- Centrosis abortiva, Epipactis abortiva, Jonorchis

abortiva, Neottia abortiva, Orchis abortiva, Serapias abortiva.

Meaning:- Limodorum. Meaning unknown.

Abortivum (L) Miscarried, with missing or malformed parts.

General description:- A plant without chlorophyll, medium to tall, often rather

stout, violet-tinged.

Stems:-

1) 30-70 cm, rather robust, purple, with tawny violet, sheath-like leaves.

Leaves:-

1) Without chlorophyll, reduced to numerous sheathing dark purple scales.

Flower:-

1) Raceme, lax, 5-20-flowered, flowers large, 38-46 mm across.

2) Sepals, c. 20 mm, broadly lanceolate, spreading, bluish-violet or rarely reddish

3) Petals, somewhat shorter and narrower, acute.

4) Labellum, ± equalling the perianth segments at 14-17 mm long, yellowish stained

with violet

a) column and lower part, whitish.

b) distal part, concave, with slightly undulate margins, bluish-violet.

5) Spur, c. 15 mm, downward-directed, cylindrical, somewhat curved.

Fruit:-

1) Capsule, dehiscing by 3 or 6 longitudinal slits.

2) Seeds, numerous, minute, with an undifferentiated embryo and no endosperm.

Key features:-

1) Plant without green leaves.

2) Spur long, slender.

3) Labellum entire, directed downwards.

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- Coniferous and deciduous woodland, occasionally scrubland vegetation.

0-1100 m.

Distribution:- Throughout Greece. - Widespread in C Europe and the

Mediterranean region, also through Anatolia to Caucasus and N & W Iran. Sparsely

scattered across Crete, but lacking in the central region.

Flowering time:- Mid-Apr to mid-July.

Photos by:- Steve Lenton