Orchis militaris
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- Orchis militaris Poir. is a synonym of Orchis italica.
| Military Orchid | |
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| Military Orchid | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Monocots |
| Order: | Asparagales |
| Family: | Orchidaceae |
| Subfamily: | Orchidoideae |
| Genus: | Orchis |
| Species: | O. militaris |
| Binomial name | |
| Orchis militaris L. |
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| Synonyms | |
Orchis militaris, the Military Orchid, is a species of orchid native to Europe. It is the type species of the genus Orchis.
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[edit] Description
This plant grows to a height of 20 to 50 cm with a robust stem with rather drawn up oblong basal leaves. The inflorescence forms a purplish dense cone consisting of from 10 to 40 flowers. In each flower the sepals and side petals are gathered together to form a pointed "helmet" (whence it gets its name), a lilac colour outside and a veined purple colour inside. The central tongue finishes in two lobes separated by a tooth.
[edit] Flowering Period
Depending on location, April to June.
[edit] Habitat
Likes full light on a dry calcareous substrate. For example unfertilized lawns, meadows, edges and light woods up to 2000m in altitude.
[edit] Distribution
It is well distributed around Europe, reaching as far north as southern Sweden, but rather rare in the Mediterranean areas. It is extremely rare in Britain and a protected species, occurring only at the Rex Graham nature reserve in Suffolk and the Buckinghamshire Chilterns.
[edit] Uses
Orchis militaris contains the nutritious polysaccharide glucomannan, and is one of the original species of orchid whose ground-up roots are used to make the drink salep.
[edit] See also
- Orchis caucasica
- Orchis galilaea
- Orchis italica
- Orchis mascula
- Orchis militaris
- Orchis punctulata
- Orchis purpurea
- Orchis simia
- Orchis stevenii
[edit] External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Military Orchid |
