ANACAMPTISA, pyramid orchid

1996/06/01 Terés, Joxepo Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Botanika

About 750 genera are known within the family of this species, as we mentioned in a previous article. The genus we will analyze in this period is of a single species, the orchid Anacamptis pyramidalis.

If you look at the reader at the head of this plant, you will soon discover the reason for its scientific name. In fact it is quite variable: It can be between 20 and 50 cm tall, 5 or 8 lanceolate linear leaves at the bottom of the stem and the bracts are green. As has been said, the inflorescence of this plant or the structure of the flowers appears on a pyramidal head and with numerous pink flowers. The lateral sepals of the flower are quite long and those of the middle form a structure of cap next to the petals. The flower labellum has three lobes and thanks to its two small beards on its base, facilitates access to certain insects, especially butterflies. It flowers between May and July.

The habitat of the species is very little homogeneous, but in general it can be said that it is not satisfied with the humid spaces, so it is easier to find it in sunny areas such as marojales, forest areas of rodents and oaks, bushes and pastures. Do not look at the altitude and you will find it in the above-mentioned habitats, both near the sea level and at the summits. For example, there is a known variety of this plant ( Var. tanagensis) In the Alps, that is, at a height of about 2,000 meters.

In addition to this variety are known three others (Var. albiflora, Var. brachystachys and Var. sommeriana) and is also hybridized with other orchids, recognizing 9 different hybrids (from the genera Dactylorhiza, Cymnadenia, Orchis and Platanthera).

Although the aforementioned varieties appear quite limited, the species extends throughout North Africa and throughout Europe. In Euskal Herria the Willkomm Lange botanists found it in Bilbao, Bergara and Irún. As we have been able to confirm, from one year to another, populations can suffer great changes.

Family: Orquescriteos Species: Distribution: distributed throughout the territory, more abundant in the south Habitat: marojales, holm oaks and sunny pastures Medicinal grass: no