Balkan Studies | Info

A giant among the terrestrial orchids of Europe, the extraordinary lizard orchid can tower well over a metre in height. To come across a colony in full flower is an unforgettable experience, and with their unmistakeable flowers, Himantoglossum cannot be confused with any other plant.

Himantoglossum In Flower

Lizard orchids can produce up to 150 flowers in a dense inflorescence. All orchids have six tepals (the collective name for petals and sepals), one petal of which is modified into a distinctive lip. in Himantoglossum hircinum, five of the tepals form a hooded structure, pale green with darker veining on the outside and marked with stronger, reddish-brown flecks and lines within.

While the hood is approximately a centimeter in length, the greatly elongated central lobe of the lip unravels to a length of between three and six centimeters. These lips are tightly coiled within the unopened buds but as the flowers open, they unwind and twist to form a strange hanging mantle of purplish green ribbons.

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