Orchis provincialis

Provence Orchis
Flower of Orchis provincialis
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Monocots
Order:	Asparagales
Family:	Orchidaceae
Subfamily:	Orchidoideae
Tribe:	Orchidae
Subtribe:	Orchidinae
Alliance:	Orchis
Genus:	Orchis
Species:	O. provincialis
Binomial name
Orchis provincialis Balb. ex Lam. & DC.
Synonyms
Orchis cyrilli Ten. 1820 Orchis laeta Steinh. 1838 Orchis leucostachys Griseb. 1840 Orchis mascula Alsch. 1832 Orchis olbiensis Ardoino ex Moggr. 1864 Orchis pallens Savi Orchis provincialis var. laeta (Steinh.) Maire & Weiller 1959 Orchis pseudopallens Tod. 1842[1]

Orchis provincialis, the Provence Orchis, is a species of orchid in the genus Orchis.

Description

Flowers of Orchis provincialis

Orchis provincialis is a herbaceous plant 20–40 centimetres (7.9–16 in) high. The 4-5 basal leaves are oblong-lanceolate, with a length of about 8 cm and arranged in a rosette, the color is green with purplish brown spots. The cauline leaves are sheathing the stem, with yellowish lanceolate bracts. The inflorescence comprises 5 to 30 small flowers. Their color varies from creamy white or pale yellow to various shades of pink and purple in some varieties. The lateral sepals are ovate and erect, the median sepal is slightly leaning forward. The labellum is trilobed, with small spots from orange to purple on the median lobe. The white spur is cylindrical and curved upward, longer than the ovary. The gynostegium is short, obtuse, with pale yellow pollen. This orchid blooms from March to June.

Distribution

The species has a Mediterranean distribution and it is widespread from northwestern Africa, south-central and southern Europe to the Caucasus.

Habitat

Orchis provincialis prefers slightly acidic soils of grassland, scrub and woodland, at an altitude of 0–1,750 metres (0–5,740 ft) above sea level.

Gallery

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  Plants of Orchis provincialis

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  Flower of Orchis provincialis

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  Close-up on a flowers of Orchis provincialis'

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  Close-up on a flowers of Orchis provincialis'

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  Leaf of Orchis provincialis'

References

1. ^ Synonyms in Orchidspecies

• Pierre Delforge - Orchids of Europe, North Africa And the Middle East - 2006, Timber Press
• Pignatti S. - Flora d'Italia (3 voll.) - Edagricole – 1982, Vol. III
• Tutin, T.G. et al. - Flora Europaea, second edition - 1993

External links

• Biolib
• Orchis provincialis