Italian man orchid
Orchis italica

Family: Orchidaceae

What it is like

A ground orchid. It is a short plant. There are 5-8 leaves at the base. They are oblong or sword shaped with a wavy edge. They can be flecked or spotted with purple-brown. The stem leaves are like sheaths. The bracts are small, oval and have 1 vein. They are shorter than the ovary. The flowers are in dense round clusters. The lower ones open first. The sepals and petals are pink or lilac with purple veins. They form a helmet 9-11 mm long and the lip is 12-18 mm long. It has purple tips and spots. There are slender pointed processes.

There are about 33 Orchis species.

Where it is found

It is a temperate of Mediterranean climate plant. It grows in open grassland and hillslopes.

Countries/locations it is found in

Europe, Greece, Italy, Mediterranean, Spain, Turkey, Türkiye

How it is used for food

The bulb is used to produce salep.

Edible parts

Root, bulb

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Teketasagi

Synonyms

Orchis longicruris (Link.);