ORCHIS ANTHROPOPHORA

Family and Genus:- See- ORCHIDACEAE

Common Names:- Man orchid

Homotypic Synonyms:- Aceras anthropophorum, Arachnites anthropophorus,

Himantoglossum anthropophorum, Loroglossum anthropophorum,

Ophrys anthropophora, Satyrium anthropophorum, Serapias anthropophora

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

Anthropophora (L) Man-like.

General description:- Short to medium, rather slender perennial.

Stem:-

1) 10-40(-60) cm, leaves, numerous, glabrous, with brownish, sheathing basal

scales.

Leaves:-

1) Basal leaves 3-5, forming an indistinct rosette, oblong-lanceolate, subacute,

fresh green, unspotted.

2) Cauline, sheathing the lower 2/3 of stem.

Flowers:-

1) Spike, narrowly cylindrical, with 20-40 small flowers.

2) Bracts, minute, membranous.

3) Sepals, and petals all connivent to form a forward-directed hood, ovate,

subobtuse, usually dull green with brownish-purple margins.

4) Labellum, 12-15 mm, at least twice as long as the hood, pendent, oblong with

two slender 'arms' and two shorter spreading 'legs', resembling a tiny man;

segments, yellowish-brown or pale purplish.

5) Spur, lacking.

Key features:-

1) Flowers small, in a narrowly cylindrical spike.

2) Median lobe, of the labellum deeply 2-fid.

3) Spur, lacking.

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- Meadow-like patches in dry open shrubby vegetation, open coniferous

woodland, fallow terraces. 0-800(-1300) m.

Distribution:- Mainly in W Europe and the W Mediterranean area. extending locally

to S Anatolia and Cyprus. Fairly widespread, but scattered across Crete.

Flowering time:- Apr to early June.

Photos by:- Steve Lenton