| Orchis patens | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Flower of Orchis patens | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Order: | Asparagales |
| Family: | Orchidaceae |
| Subfamily: | Orchidoideae |
| Genus: | Orchis |
| Species: | O. patens |
| Binomial name | |
| Orchis patens | |
Orchis patens is a species of orchid found from the central Mediterranean to northwestern Africa.
It is a bulbous geophytic herbaceous plant, with a stem from 20 to 50 cm high, green in color, turning towards the purplish brown in the upper part.
The basal leaves, from 3 to 7, are united in a rosette and lanceolate, up to 20 cm long, sometimes light-brown spotted; those cauline, from 1 to 3, are smaller and sheath the stem; the narrow bracts are purplish-red in color.
The pink to lilac flowers are gathered in dense, roughly cylindrical inflorescences. The concave lateral sepals have a central greenish area spotted with purple; the median sepal is folded like a helmet on the petals, which are also greenish in the center. The labellum is trilobed, purplish pink with a lighter area at the base, with a 10–14 mm long dotted median lobe, with a roughly indented margin. The spur is conical, horizontal with a slightly descending apex, 6–8 mm long.
It flowers between April and May.
The seed shape is clavate with short basal and apical cells, while the medial cells are elongated. The pericline walls are smooth, as the ornaments are absent, and the anticline walls are sinuous / wavy. The number of cells along the longitudinal axis is between five and eight (usually seven). The average length of the seeds is about 400 μm. [1]
The germination of Orchis patens seeds has been shown to be induced by the interaction with the mycorrhizal fungus Tulasnella helicospora. [2]
The chromosome number of Orchis patens is 2n = 84.
It has a very fragmented range that includes North Africa (Algeria and Tunisia) and Italy, where it is currently present only in eastern Liguria; in the past it was also observed in Sicily near Palermo (described by Vincenzo Tineo as Orchis panormitana) but the latter could be an incorrect identification. Recently, a genetic study on Mediterranean populations has highlighted a significant genetic difference between the African population (originally described by Desfontaines in 1799) and the Italian population which can be considered a different subspecies, [3] Orchis patens subsp. brevicornis [4]
It grows preferentially on acid soils, in olive groves, chestnut and oak clearings, meadows, along the edges of cultivated land, in full light or in semi-shade, from sea level up to 1500 m of altitude.
Due to its narrow range, the Mediterranean IUCN Red List classifies Orchis patens as "Vulnerable". [5]
The species was chosen as the flagship species for the LIFEorchids conservation project co-financed by the LIFE programme of the European Union. [6]
Orchids are plants that belong to the family Orchidaceae, a diverse and widespread group of flowering plants with blooms that are often colourful and fragrant. Orchids are cosmopolitan plants that are found in almost every habitat on Earth except glaciers. The world's richest diversity of orchid genera and species is found in the tropics.
Anacamptis pyramidalis, the pyramidal orchid, is a perennial herbaceous plant belonging to the genus Anacamptis of the family Orchidaceae. The scientific name Anacamptis derives from Greek ανακάμτειν 'anakamptein' meaning 'bend forward', while the Latin name pyramidalis refers to the pyramidal form of the inflorescence.
Anacamptis morio, the green-winged orchid or green-veined orchid, is a flowering plant of the orchid family, Orchidaceae. It usually has purple flowers, and is found in Europe and the Middle East.
Orchis is a genus in the orchid family (Orchidaceae), occurring mainly in Europe and Northwest Africa, and ranging as far as Tibet, Mongolia, and Xinjiang. The name is from the Ancient Greek ὄρχις orchis, meaning "testicle", from the appearance of the paired subterranean tuberoids.
Orchis anthropophora, the man orchid, is a European species of orchid whose flowers resemble a human figure. The head is formed by the petals and sepals, and the suspended torso and limbs by the lobes of the labellum. It usually grows in calcareous grassland.
Orchis militaris, the military orchid, is a species of orchid native to Europe. It is the type species of the genus Orchis.
Orchis mascula, the early-purple orchid, early spring orchis, is a species of flowering plant in the orchid family, Orchidaceae.
Cattleya purpurata, known in the past as Laelia purpurata and Sophronitis purpurata, is native to Brazil where it is very popular among orchid growers. It is an epiphyte that is found in the canopy of tall trees near coastal areas, in the Brazilian states of Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina and São Paulo. The orchid favors bright light and cool to warm conditions and is relative easy to cultive. C. purpurata has been used extensively as a parent in hybridizing with Cattleyas. Cattleya purpurata blooms from late spring to fall with three to five flowers on a spike. The flowers are long-lasting and fragrant.
Neotinea ustulata, the burnt orchid or burnt-tip orchid, is a European terrestrial orchid native to mountains in central and southern Europe, growing at up to 2,400 m (7,900 ft) elevation. The plant is considered Endangered in Great Britain and Least Concern internationally based on IUCN Red List criteria. The burnt-tip orchid was voted the county flower of Wiltshire in 2002 following a poll by the wild flora conservation charity Plantlife.
Ophrys sphegodes, commonly known as the early spider-orchid, is a species of sexually-deceptive orchid native to Europe and the Middle East. It is a very varied species with many subspecies recognised.
Phyllanthus anamalayanus is a species of plant in the family Phyllanthaceae. It is endemic to the Anamalai Hills in Coimbatore district in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. The species is a shrub or small tree occurring in the understorey of mid-elevation tropical wet evergreen forests in the Anamalai Hills, and is endemic to the Western Ghats. It is threatened by habitat loss.
Orchis provincialis, the Provence orchid, is a species of orchid in the genus Orchis.
Restrepia guttulata, commonly called the small-spotted restrepia, is a species of orchid occurring from Venezuela to Ecuador.
Neotinea is a genus of flowering plants from the orchid family, Orchidaceae. It is native to much of Europe, the Mediterranean region, and the islands of the eastern Atlantic, from the Canaries, Madeira and Ireland east to Iran and Western Siberia.
Cypripedium passerinum is a species of lady's slipper orchid known by the common names sparrow's-egg lady's-slipper, spotted lady's-slipper, and Franklin's lady's-slipper.
Dactylorhiza majalis subsp. traunsteinerioides, known as the narrow-leaved marsh-orchid and Pugsley's marsh orchid, is a subspecies of Dactylorhiza majalis found only in Britain and Ireland. It is also treated as the species Dactylorhiza traunsteinerioides.
Caladenia dimorpha, commonly known as spicy caps, is a plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to New South Wales. It is an uncommon ground orchid with a single sparsely hairy leaf, and up to three white flowers which often have pinkish markings.
Prasophyllum morganii, commonly known as the Cobungra leek orchid, is a species of orchid endemic to a small area in Victoria. It has a single tubular leaf and up to eighty greenish flowers with purplish markings. Before being rediscovered in 2020, the plant had last been seen in 1933 and was presumed extinct.
Prasophyllum holzingeri is a species of orchid endemic to New South Wales. It has a single tubular, shiny dark green leaf and up to fifteen unscented, greenish to brownish pink and white flowers. It is only known from a few populations in the Barrington Tops area.
Orchis canariensis is a species of orchid endemic to the Canary Islands.
{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)  | This Orchidoideae -related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |