You are here
Plants & Fungi
Orchis mascula
EOL Text
This orchid does not reward its pollinators with nectar.
License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | Margarita Yatsevich, Margarita Yatsevich |
Source | No source database. |
Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLDS) Stats
Public Records: 4
Specimens with Barcodes: 4
Species With Barcodes: 1
Trade controlled to avoid use incompatible with species survival - Global
License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | Margarita Yatsevich, Margarita Yatsevich |
Source | No source database. |
Orchis mascula, the early-purple orchid,[1] is a species of flowering plant in the orchid family, Orchidaceae.
Contents
Description[edit]
Orchis mascula is a perennial herbaceous plant with stems up to 50–60 centimetres (20–24 in) of height, green at the base and purple on the apex. The root system consists of two tubers, rounded or ellipsoid. The leaves, grouped at the base of the stem, are oblong-lanceolate, pale green, sometimes with brownish-purple speckles. The inflorescence is 7.5–12.5 centimetres (3–5 in) long and it is composed of 6 to 20 flowers gathered in dense cylindrical spikes. The flower size is about 2.5 centimetres (0.98 in) and the color varies from pink to violet. The lateral sepals are ovate-lanceolate and erect, the median one, together with the petals, is smaller and cover the gynostegium. The labellum is three-lobed and convex, with crenulated margins and the basal part clearer and dotted with purple-brown spots. The spur is cylindrical or clavate, horizontal or ascending. The gynostegium is short, with reddish-green anthers. It blooms from April to June.
Reproduction[edit]
This orchid is devoid of nectar and attracts pollinating insects (bees and wasps of the genera Apis, Bombus, Eucera, Andrena, Psithyrus and Xylocopa, and sometimes beetles) with the appearance of its flower which is reminiscent of other species.
Taxonomy[edit]
The specific epithet is derived from the Latin masculus, meaning "male" or "virile"; this could refer to the robust aspect of this species, or to the shape of the two tubers, which resemble testicles.
Subspecies[edit]
As of June 2014[update], the World Checklist of Selected Plant Families recognizes five subspecies:[2]
- Orchis mascula subsp. ichnusae Corrias
- Orchis mascula subsp. laxifloriformis Rivas Goday & B.Rodr. (including O. langei, O. mascula subsp. hispanica)
- Orchis mascula subsp. mascula (including O. mascula subsp. pinetorum)
- Orchis mascula subsp. scopulorum (Summerh.) H.Sund. ex H.Kretzschmar, Eccarius & H.Dietr.
- Orchis mascula subsp. speciosa (Mutel) Hegi
Synonyms[edit]
- Orchidactyla kromayeri (M.Schulze) Borsos & Soó 1966
- Orchidactyla pentecostalis (Wettst. & Sennholz) Borsos & Soó 1966
- Orchidactyla speciosissima (Wettst. & Sennholz) Borsos & Soó 1966
- Orchis brevicornis var. fallax De Not. 1844
- Orchis cochleata Fleischm. & M.Schulze 1902
- Orchis compressiflora Stokes 1812
- Orchis fallax (De Not.) Willk. in Willk. & J.M.C.Lange 1861
- Orchis glaucophylla A.Kern. 1864
- Orchis kromayeri M.Schulze 1904
- Orchis mascula f. longifolia Landwehr 1977
- Orchis mascula subsp. occidentalis O.Schwarz 1949
- Orchis mascula subsp. signifera (Vest) Soó 1927
- Orchis mascula subsp. tenera (Landwehr) Del Prete 1999
- Orchis mascula var. acutiflora W.D.J.Koch 1837
- Orchis mascula var. bicolor Balayer 1986
- Orchis mascula var. fallax E.G.Camus 1889
- Orchis mascula var. hostii Patze, E.Mey. & Elkan 1848
- Orchis mascula var. maritzii J.A.Guim. 1887
- Orchis mascula var. monsignatica Font Quer 1928
- Orchis mascula var. obtusiflora W.D.J.Koch 1837
- Orchis mascula var. speciosa Mutel 1836
- Orchis mascula var. tenera Landwehr 1977
- Orchis monsignatica (Font Quer) Rivas Goday 1941
- Orchis morio f. mascula L. 1753
- Orchis morio var. mascula L. 1753 (basionym)
- Orchis obtusa Schur 1866
- Orchis obtusiflora Schur 1853
- Orchis olivetorum Gren. ex Nyman 1882
- Orchis ovalis F.W.Schmidt 1791
- Orchis parreissii C.Presl 1845
- Orchis patens var. fallax (De Not.) Rchb.f. 1851
- Orchis pentecostalis Wettst. & Sennholz 1889
- Orchis signifera Vest 1824
- Orchis speciosa Host 1831
- Orchis speciosissima Wettst. & Sennholz 1889
- Orchis stabiana Tenore 1833
- Orchis tenera (Landwehr) Kreutz 1991
- Orchis untchji M.Schulze 1907
- Orchis vernalis Salisbury 1796
- Orchis wanjkovii E.Wulff 1930
- Orchis wilmsii K.Richt. 1890[3]
Distribution and habitat[edit]
The species is widespread across Europe, from Portugal to the Caucasus (Ireland, Great Britain, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Latvia, Spain, France, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, Austria, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Switzerland, Italy, former Yugoslavia, Albania, Greece, Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania, Poland, Ukraine, most of Russia), in northwest Africa (Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco) and in the Middle East (Lebanon, Syria, Iraq) up to Iran.[4] (Codes)[5]
It grows in a variety of habitats, from meadows to mountain pastures and woods, in full sun or shady areas, from 0–2,500 metres (0–8,202 ft) above sea level.
Culture[edit]
It is referred to as "long purple" by Gertrude in Shakespeare's Hamlet. Gertrude: "Of crow-flowers, nettles, daisies, and long purples, that liberal shepherds give a grosser name".
A flour called salep or sachlav is made of the ground tubers of this or some other species of orchids. It contains a nutritious starch-like polysaccharide called glucomannan. In some magical traditions, its root is called Adam and Eve Root. It is said that witches used tubers of this orchid in love potions.
References[edit]
- ^ "BSBI List 2007" (xls). Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland. Retrieved 2014-10-17.
- ^ "Search for Orchis mascula", World Checklist of Selected Plant Families, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, retrieved 2014-06-29
- ^ Synonyms in The Internet Orchid Species Photo Encyclopedia
- ^ "World Checklist of Selected Plant Families".
- ^ "World Checklist of Selected Plant Families TDWG Geocodes".
- 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
License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | Wikipedia |
Source | http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Orchis_mascula&oldid=653458836 |
Plant / pollenated
adult of Apoidea pollenates or fertilises flower of Orchis mascula
Other: minor host/prey
Plant / pollenated
adult of Bombus pollenates or fertilises flower of Orchis mascula
Other: major host/prey
Foodplant / feeds on
Muntiacus reevesi feeds on Orchis mascula
Plant / pollenated
adult of Psithyrus pollenates or fertilises flower of Orchis mascula
Other: minor host/prey
License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | BioImages, BioImages - the Virtual Fieldguide (UK) |
Source | http://www.bioimages.org.uk/html/Orchis_mascula.htm |