ORCHIS SIMIA

Family and Genus:- See- ORCHIDACEAE

Common Names:- Monkey orchid

Homotypic Synonyms:- Orchis militaris subsp. simia, Orchis militaris var.

simia.

Meaning:- Orchis (Gr) Testicle, (the shape of the root-tubers).

Simia (Gr) Flat nosed, of the ape or monkey.

General description:- Short to medium perennial.

Stem:-

1) 20-45 cm, erect or subflexuous.

Leaves:-

1) Basal, 3-5, oblong lanceolate to oval, flat, shiny and unspotted.

2) Cauline, small and sheath-like.

Flowers:-

1) Borne in oblong spikes, the uppermost opening first.

2) Bracts, tiny, oval-lanceolate about half as long as the ovary.

3) Sepals and petals, pale rose or lilac, rarely white, forming a close helmet 8-10

mm long.

4) Labellum, whitish tipped and spotted with pinkish-purple or purple, 3-lobed, the

slender 'arms' and 'legs' and small tail all forward curved.

5) Spur, down-curved, half as long as the ovary.

Key features:-

1) Labellum, whitish in centre; lobes and lobules straplike, obtuse, ± curling

upwards, purple.

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- Meadows, grassy hillsides, scrubland vegetation, open deciduous or

coniferous woodland. (0-)200-1300 m.

Distribution:- Scattered in Peloponnisos and mainland Greece. - W Europe and

Mediterranean region, eastwards to Caucasus and N Iran but not Balearic Is.,

Corsica or Sardinia. Somewhat scattered distribution on Crete, but locally can

occur in large populations.

Flowering time:- Mid-Apr to early June.

Photos by:- Yannis Zacharakis