NEOTINEA TRIDENTATA

Family and Genus:- See- ORCHIDACEAE

Common Names:- Toothed orchid

Homotypic Synonyms:- Orchis lactea

Meaning:- Neotinea (L) New-Tinea.

Tridentata (L) With three teeth, lobes.

General description:- Short to medium, often rather robust plant.

Stem:-

1) 15-45 cm, erect, with 3-4 leaves at or above the base, and with sheaths above.

Leaves:-

1) Lower, 4-6 leaves in a rosette, oblong to broadly lanceolate, unspotted.

2) Cauline, 2 or 3, sheathing stem up to 2/3.

Flower:-

1) Spike, short and dense, often subglobose.

2) Bracts, lanceolate, acuminate, 1-veined, shorter than to about as long as the

ovary.

3) Sepals and petals, connivent to form a hood, acute to acuminate, rose-pink with

darker veins.

4) Labellum, longer than wide, with purple spots, 3-lobed;

a) lateral lobes, oblong, truncate, oblique denticulate at the apex.

b) middle lobe, twice as long as the lateral, cuneate-obovate, emarginate, with 2

obliquely square lobules, often with an apiculum in the sinus.

5) Spur, cylindrical, somewhat shorter than the ovary, descending.

Fruit:-

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

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

Key features:-

1) Plant rather slender, 15-40 cm tall.

2) Sepals, petals and labellum rose-pink, the latter with reddish-purple spots

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:-Deciduous oak scrub, open coniferous woodland, dry meadows. (50-)300-

1300 m.

Distribution:- Throughout Greece. - C & E Mediterranean area locally to Caucasus.

Somewhat patchy distribution across Crete, not too common.

Flowering time:- Late Apr to early June.

Photos by:- Fotis Samaritakis