Orchis simia

Orchis simia, commonly known as the monkey orchid, is a greyish pink to reddish species of the genus Orchis. It gets its common name from its lobed lip which mimics the general shape of a monkey's body.[1]

Monkey orchid
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Orchidaceae
Subfamily: Orchidoideae
Genus: Orchis
Species:
O. simia
Binomial name
Orchis simia
Lam. , 1779

The range of the species is central and southern Europe, including southern England, the Mediterranean, Russia, Asia Minor, Caucasus, northern Iraq, Iran to Turkmenistan and northern Africa[2][3] where it occurs in grassland, garrigue, scrub and open woodland, chiefly on limestone soils. It is absent from the Balearic Islands, Corsica and Sardinia.[4] On Cyprus the species can be categorized as threatened,[2] and it became a protected species in the UK in 1975 under the Conservation of Wild Creatures and Wild Plants Act.[5]

References

  1. Foley, M.; Clarke, S. (2005). Orchids of the British Isles. Griffin Press for Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. p. 158. ISBN 0954191617.
  2. Kreutz, C.A.J. (2004). The orchids of Cyprus. Kreutz. p. 353. ISBN 9080662631.
  3. Pridgeon, Alex (1992). The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Orchids. Timber Press. p. 208. ISBN 0-88192-267-6.
  4. Blamey, M; Grey-Wilson, C. (2005). Wild flowers of the Mediterranean. domino Books Ltd. p. 512. ISBN 0713670150.
  5. http://www.caithness.org/caithnessfieldclub/bulletins/1975/october/conservation.htm


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