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Neotinea tridentata

Neotinea tridentata (Orchidaceae) 143 21

 

Neotinea tridentata, the three-toothed orchid, is a species of orchid found in southern Europe from Spain to Turkey; northwards to Crimea, Poland and Germany. This orchid favors grassy places, woodland, scrub, and maquis.

 

Description.

It is a 15-40 cm high plant.

The lower leaves are ovate-lanceolate, while the upper leaves are narrower, acute, and wrap around the stem; all are a beautiful pale glaucous green color.

The inflorescence is small, compact, more or less ovate.

The sepals are pink, with obvious purple streaks; they form an elongated helmet, sometimes with slightly outward-pointing apexes.

The petals, considerably narrower and shorter than the sepals, are entirely hidden inside the helmet.

The labellum is trilobed, with smaller lateral lobes, but always almost spatulate; the central lobe is larger and with irregular margins, sometimes clearly bilobed.

The labellum varies in color from white to light violet, with dark spots.

The spur is whitish and downwards.

 

Flowering period: from early April to mid-June.

 

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Uploaded on May 23, 2021
Taken on May 23, 2021