Lady orchid

Lady orchid
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Monocots
Order:	Asparagales
Family:	Orchidaceae
Subfamily:	Orchidoideae
Genus:	Orchis
Species:	O. purpurea
Binomial name
Orchis purpurea Hudson

The Lady Orchid (Orchis purpurea) is an herbaceous plant belonging to the Genus Orchis of the family Orchidaceae.

Description

Group of plants

Orchis purpurea reaches on average 30–100 centimetres (12–39 in) of height. The leaves are broad and oblong-lanceolate, forming a rosette about the base of the plant and surrounding the flower spike. They are fleshy and bright green, and can be up to 15 cm long. The inflorescence is densely covered with up to 50 flowers. The sepals and upper petals are violaceous or purple (hence the Latin name purpurea of the species). The flower's labellum is pale pink or white, with a center spotted by clusters of violaceous or purple hairs. It is divided into three lobes; the outer two are small and narrow, and the inner is large, rounded, and heart-shaped. Flowering occurs in late April to June.

Range and habitat

This orchid can be found in most parts of Europe, northern Africa, Turkey, and the Caucasus. Lady orchids usually grow in woodlands, in the oak forests, in slope and in the meadows, but occasionally occur on savanna. They prefer limestone or chalk soil, in shady or sunny places, at an altitude of 0–1,350 metres (0–4,430 ft) above sea level.

Gallery

Plant of of Orchis purpurea

Inflorescence of Orchis purpurea

Inflorescence of Orchis purpurea

Close-up on a flower of Orchis purpurea

Close-up on a flower of Orchis purpurea

Identification

The Lady Orchid may be mistaken for the Military Orchid or Monkey Orchid. The three species often hybridize, making them difficult to identify, although the shape of the labellum is distinct to each species.

Threats

Deer, especially the Muntjac, and slugs are among the greatest threats to this orchid. Human activity - picking flowers or uprooting plants - is also a concern.

Synonyms

Orchis fuscata Pall. 1773 Orchis fusca Jacq. 1776 Orchis moravica Jacq. 1785 Orchis militaris Hornem. 1806

Strateuma grandis Salisb. 1812 Orchis maxima K.Koch 1846 Orchis caucasica Regel 1868 Orchis lokiana, H.Baumann 1982

References

• Leroy-Terquem, Gerald and Jean Parisot. Orchids: Care and Cultivation. London: Cassel Publishers Ltd., 1991.
• Schoser, Gustav. Orchid Growing Basics. New York: Sterling Publishing Co., Inc., 1993.
• White, Judy. Taylor’s Guide to Orchids. Frances Tenenbaum, Series Editor. New York: Houghton-Mifflin, 1996.
• Alec Pridgeon. The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Orchids. Published by the Timber Press.
• Bechtel, Cribb and Launert. The Manual Of Cultivated Orchid Species. Published by The MIT Press.

External links

• Britain's Orchids
• British Wild Flowers Gallery
• Tiscali Reference: Wildlife