Neottia ovata

English: Common Twayblade - Eggleaf Twayblade
Nederlands: Grote keverorchis
Español: Listera ovada - Yerba de dos hojas - Hierba de dos hojas
Français: Grande listère - Listère ovale - Double-feuille
Deutsch: Großes Zweiblatt

Family: Orchidaceae - Orchid family
Flowering time: May-July
Height: 20-45cm
Altitude: to 2100m
Colour: green, greenish-yellow
Flower: borne in a long slender spike, sepals and petals forming a loose hood, lip 7-15mm long
Leaves: two broad oval basal leaves, almost opposite, dull green, ribbed, 5–20 cm long
Habitat: woodland, scrub, grassy places, dune slacks, moorland
Distribution: most European countries
Synonym: Listera ovata





Notes: Although Common Twayblade is one of the commonest European orchids, it is a protected species in many countries. Neottia ovata is on the Dutch Red List, Belgium Red List and European Red List of vascular plants. It is also on the ´Lista de Especies amenazadas de Andalucía´.

Related key words: Rotterdam, Heemtuin Tenellaplas Rockanje, Sierra de Almijara, Granada, Andalucía, Andalusia, Andalusië

Cephalanthera rubra

English: Red Helleborine
Nederlands: Rood Bosvogeltje
Español: Sello de nuestra señora
Français: Céphalanthère rouge - Céphalanthère rose
Deutsch: Rote Waldvöglein - Purpur-Waldvöglein

Family: Orchidaceae - Orchid family
Flowering time: May-July
Height: 10-60cm
Altitude: to 1800m
Colour: bright pink, purplish-pink, rarely white
Flower: 2-12 flowers, sepals and petals narrowly pointed
Leaves: 5-8, dark green, oblong to lanceolate, pointed
Habitat: forest, woodland clearings, scrub, pathsides, shady rocky slopes
Distribution: eastern, southern and central Europe






Notes: Cephalanthera rubra is a protected species in most European countries and on the European Red List of vascular plants (Least Concern). In the Netherlands it can no longer be found in the wild, the last observation was in the Biesbosch in 1989. Since then, in this country only two plants have been coming into bloom in the botanical garden in Rockanje. In the Sierra Nevada in southern Spain it is also a threatened species with one population of less than a hundred plants in the Sierra de Mecina in the Granada province at an altitude of 1200m. In Andalucía it can also be found in most other provinces: Cádiz, Málaga, Córdoba, Jaén, and Almería. Cephalanthera longifolia is also a threatened species, but more common than Cephalanthera rubra.

Related key words: Heemtuin Tenellaplas Rockanje, Pitres, Sierra de Mecina, Sierra Nevada, Sierra de Huétor, Granada, Andalucía, Andalusia, Andalusië, Spain, Europese Rode Lijst, Barranco de Aguerri (Hecho), Peña Oroel (Jaca), Ordesa (Torla), Pyrenees, Pyreneeën, Pirineos, Picos de Europa, Alps

Ophrys scolopax

English: Woodcock Bee Orchid - Woodcock Orchid - Woodcock Ophrys
Nederlands: Sniporchis
Español: Abejera becada - Orquídea becada - Orquídea perdiz - Abejeta
Français: Ophrys bécasse
Deutsch: Schnepfen-Ragwurz

Family: Orchidaceae - Orchid family
Flowering time: March - June
Height: 15 to 65cm
Altitude: to 2000m
Colour: sepals pink or purplish-violet, rarely green or white
Flower: petals usually the same colour as the sepals; lip 8-12mm
Leaves: basal leaves lanceolate; stems leaves narrower and more pointed
Habitat: maquis, garrigue, meadows, open woodland
Distribution: around the Mediterranean
Synonym: Ophrys scolopax subsp. scolopax





Notes: Ophrys scolopax has many varieties, forms and subspecies.

Related key words: El Hervidero, Sierra Nevada, Granada, Andalucía, Andalusia, Andalusië, Las Ripas (Hecho), Las Blancas (Borau), Campodarbe (Boltaña), Pirineos, Pyrenees, Pyreneeën, Picos de Europa

Himantoglossum hircinum

English: Lizard Orchid
Nederlands: Bokkenorchis
Español: Orquídea del lagarto - Orquídea hedionda - Orquídea látigo - Satirión barbado
Français: Orchis bouc - Satyre fétide - Bouquin - Orchis à odeur de bouc - Cornes de bouc
Deutsch: Bocks-Riemenzunge - Bocksorchis

Family: Orchidaceae - Orchid family
Flowering time: May-July
Height: 30-90cm
Altitude: to 1800m
Colour: pale grey-green, creamy, purple spots and streaks
Flower: borne in a long spike, many flowered (sometimes more than a hundred)
Leaves: dull green, unspotted, often partly withered by flowering time
Habitat: grassland, scrub, open woods, road verges, rocky areas, sand-dunes, dikes
Distribution: widespread in southern Europe, but often local in the north and west of its range






Notes: The flowers of the Lizard Orchid are rather foul-smelling. The sepals and petals form a small hood, the lip is very long, often spiralling, 30-50mm with 2 short arms near the top and a long central lobe notched at the tip. The spur is 7-12mm long and downward pointing. Himantoglossum hircinum on the Dutch Red List (very rare) and Belgium Red List (threatened) of vascular plants.

Related key words: Jardín botánico Hoya de Pedraza, Sierra Nevada, Sierra de Huétor, Granada, Sierra de Loja, Sierra de Alfacar, Sierra Harana, Sierra Elvira, Sierra de La Mora, Desfiladero del Río Cacín, Andalucía, Andalusia, Andalusië, Spain, Zeeuws-Vlaanderen, the Netherlands, Nederlandse Rode Lijst, Vlaamse Rode Lijst

Anacamptis pyramidalis

English: Pyramidal orchid
Nederlands: Hondskruid
Español: Orquídea piramidal
Français: Orchis pyramidal
Deutsch: Pyramiden-Hundswurz - Pyramidenorchis - Spitzorchis - Kammstendel

Family: Orchidaceae - Orchid family
Flowering time: May-August
Height: 20-60cm
Altitude: to 1900m
Colour: bright pink, purplish-red, rarely white
Leaves: narrow oblong, pale green, unspotted
Habitat: grassy habitats, meadows and pastures, roadsides, coastal sand dunes, generally on calcareous soils
Distribution: most European countries, not in the north nor eastern Mediterranean
Synonyms: Orchis pyramidalis - Aceras pyramidalis





Notes: Pyramidal orchids spread a vanilla-like scent to attract butterflies and moths for pollination. The broad pyramidal spike becomes more cylindrical with age. Anacamptis pyramidalis is on the Dutch Red List, Belgium Red List and European Red List of vascular plants. In the Netherlands it has always been rare, being the most northern area for this species. It can form large colonies and is especially abundant after fires. Subspecies of Anacamptis pyramidalis are: Anacamptis pyramidalis subsp. pyramidalis, Anacamptis pyramidalis subsp. sanguinea and Anacamptis pyramidalis subsp. tanayensis.

Related key words: Maasvlakte Rotterdam, Heemtuin Tenallaplas Rockanje, Orchideeëntuin Gerendal Oud Valkenburg, chalk grasslands, kalkgraslanden, pioniersoort, Nederlandse Rode Lijst, Vlaamse Rode Lijst, Europese Rode Lijst, Zafarraya, Sierra de Camorolos, Andalucía, Andalusia, Andalusië,Pyrenees, Pyreneeën, Pirineos, Esposa (Aísa), Monte Rapitán (Jaca), Peña Montañesa (Laspuña), Picos de Europa, insect

Orchis militaris

English: Military Orchid
Nederlands: Soldaatje
Español: Orquídea soldado
Français: Orchis guerrier
Deutsch: Helm-Knabenkraut

Family: Orchidaceae - Orchid family
Flowering time: April-June
Height: 20-50cm
Altitude: to 1800m
Colour: purple, pink, rose, lilac, rarely white
Leaves: basal leaves oval to lanceolate, flat, shiny, unspotted
Habitat: grassland, open scrub, woodland margins, road sides, calcareous soils
Distribution: around Europe, reaching as far north as southern Sweden, but rather rare in the Mediterranean areas






Notes: The inflorescence forms a purplish dense cone consisting of 10 to 40 flowers. In each flower the sepals and side petals are gathered together to form a pointed ´helmet´. Orchis militaris is sometimes confused with Orchis simia, but the lip is whitish at the base and the ´legs´ and ´arms´ broader and flat, not markedly curved. In Orchis simia the flowers at the top of the flower open first, in Orchis militaris the lowermost. Orchis militaris hybridizes with a number of orchids, for example with Orchis simia and with Orchis purpurea. The largest colonies of Orchis militaris can be found on chalk grasslands in the southern part of the Netherlands. It is a protected species in many countries and on the European Red List of Vascular Plants.

Related key words: Heemtuin Tenellaplas Rockanje, Zuid-Limburg, Cannerhei Maastricht, Wijlre akkers, Gronseledel (Wijlre), Oombos Gerendal, Orchideeëntuin Gerendal, kalkgrasland, blauwgrasland, Nederlandse Rode Lijst, Vlaamse Rode Lijst, Europese Rode Lijst, Pyrenees, Pyreneeën, Pirineos, Collado de Oroel (Jaca), Lárede (Sabiñánigo), Civís (La Seo de Urgell), Alps, Suffolk, Buckinghamshire Chilterns, Tauberland

Gymnadenia conopsea

English: Fragrant Orchid
Nederlands: Grote muggenorchis
Español: Orquídea Fragante - Dedos citrinos
Français: Orchis moucheron - Orchis moustique - Gymnadénie moucheron
Deutsch: Mücken-Händelwurz - Mücken Nacktdrüse - Langsporn-Händelwurz - Fliegen-Händelwurz - Große Händelwurz

Family: Orchidaceae - Orchid family
Flowering time: May-August
Height: 25-80cm
Altitude: to 2700m
Colour: pink to pink-purple, more rarely white
Leaves: unspotted, linear-lanceolate, plain green, decreasing in size up the stem
Habitat: grassland, open scrub, marshes, dunes, fens, more especially on calcareous soils
Distribution: most countries of Europe, but not in mediterranean area, nor in the far north






Notes: The scented flowers have a distinctive three lobed lip and long spurs. They are hermaphrodite and pollinated by insects, mainly butterflies and moths. Large numbers in the Alps and chalk grasslands in Germany and France. Gymnadenia conopsea is on the Dutch Red List, Belgium Red List and European Red List of vascular plants. This species is sometimes divided in Gymnadenia conopsea subsp. conopsea and Gymnadenia conopsea subsp. densiflora (Dichtblutige Mucken-Handelwurz - Gymnadénie moucheron var. densiflora) with the variety Gymnadenia conopsea var. friesica (Tengere muggenorchis).

Related key words: Heemtuin Tenellaplas Rockanje, Orchideeëntuin Gerendal, Zuid-Limburg, Welterberg, Vrakelberg, Kunderberg (Voerendaal), Wijlre akkers (Stokhem), kalkgrasland, chalk grassland, blauwgrasland, Nederlandse Rode Lijst, Vlaamse Rode Lijst, Europese Rode Lijst, Pyrenees, Pyreneeën, Pirineos, Rioseta (Aísa), Barranco Arriel (Sallent de Gállego), Barranco Sardello (Espot-Boí), Picos de Europa, Alps

Orchis simia

English: Monkey Orchid
Nederlands: Aapjesorchis
Español: Orquídea mono
Français: Orchis singe
Deutsch: Affen-Knabenkraut

Family: Orchidaceae - Orchid family
Flowering time: April -June
Height: 20 - 45 cm
Altitude: to 1500m
Colour: pink, lilac, purple, rarely white; lip whitish tipped and spotted with purple
Leaves: oblong-lanceolate to oval, flat, shiny, unspotted
Habitat: open woodland, grassy places, dunes, scrub, roadsides, stony slopes, chiefly on limestone soils
Distribution: western, central and southern Europe






Note: It can take about seven years after germination for a plant to flower. Leaves begin to appear in April, and flowering occurs from May to June. Flowers are born in oblong spikes, the uppermost opening first. In Germany it can be found along the Rhine and in Switzerland in the cantons of Geneva and Vaud. Orchis simia is a protected species in the Netherlands (Zuid-Limburg), Belgium (close to the Maas or Meuse and in La Calestienne) and in Great Britain (Oxfordshire and Kent). In England Orchis simia has an estimated population of 370 mature individuals. The Monkey Orchid is on the European Red List of Vascular Plants..

Related key words: Heemtuin Tenellaplas Rockanje, Nederlandse Rode Lijst, chalk grassland, kalkgrasland, Lanaye, Pyrenees, Pyreneën, Pirineos

Anacamptis morio

English: Green-winged orchid - Green-veined orchid
Nederlands: Harlekijn
Español: Satirión
Français: Orchis bouffon
Deutsch: Kleines Knabenkraut - Salepknabenkraut - Zonzelle

Family: Orchidaceae - Orchid family
Flowering time: April-June (February in France)
Height: 0,08-0,40cm
Altitude: to 1800m
Colour: purple tot purplish-violet, reddish, pink or whitish
Leaves: unspotted
Habitat: sand dunes, grassy meadows, limestone quarries
Distribution: throughout Europe, except the far north
Synonym: Orchis morio






Note: Rapidly decreasing in a number of countries. In the Netherlands the Green-winged orchid is on the Red List and classified as seriously threatened. In the past grasslands turned purple for example near Bergen. In the Eiffel in Germany it still froms substantial colonies and in Great Britain it is locally common in some parts of Scotland.

Related key words: Maasvlakte Rotterdam, Heemtuin Tenellaplas Rockanje, Nederlandse Rode Lijst, Pyrenees, Pyreneeën, Pirineos, Alanos (Ansó), Escuaín (Puértolas), Monte Turbón (Campo), Picos de Europa, Puerto de Piedraslenguas