ORCHIS ANATOLICA

Family and Genus:- See- ORCHIDACEAE

Common Names:- Anatolian orchid

Homotypic Synonyms:- None

Meaning:- Orchis (Gr) Testicle, (the shape of the root-tubers).

Anatolica (L) From Anatolica, Turkish.

General description:- A short to medium, rather variable perennial.

Stem:-

1)15-40 cm, erect or slightly flexuous, with several sheathing leaves in the lower

part.

Leaves:-

1) Basal, 2-5, lanceolate to oblong, often spotted or blotched with purple-brown.

Flowers:-

1) Spike, up to 10 flowered, lax oblong, purple or pink, occasionally white.

2) Bracts, narrow-lance-shaped, 1-3-veined, rather shorter than the ovary, greenish

to purplish or reddish.

3) Sepals, narrowly ovate, spreading or somewhat deflexed.

a) lateral, spreading, obovate.

b) upper, and petals forming a lax helmet.

4) Labellum, oval, 10-14mm long, usually with several purple dots and streaks

down the whitish centre, 3-lobed, cuneate at the base.

a) central, rather longer.

5) Spur, wide, ± straight, cylindrical-filiform. slender, narrowed towards the apex,

horizontal or up-curved, 15-22 mm long, much longer than the ovary.

Key features:-

1) Labellum, clearly longer than wide, with several purple dots down lower middle.

2) Leaves, fresh green.

3) Spur, ± straight.

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- Meadow-like patches in Dry open shrubby vegetation and scrubland

vegetation, open coniferous woodland, terraced olive groves. 0-1400 m.

Distribution:- E Mediterranean region to S Anatolia, Cyprus and Palestine,

extending to N Iraq and Iran. Fairly widespread across Crete, but more so to the

east.

Flowering time:- Mar to mid-May.

Photos by:- Steve Lenton