Dactylorhiza fuchsii

Spotted orchid ( Dactylorhiza fuchsii )

The spotted orchid ( Dactylorhiza fuchsii ) also fox 'Finger orchid belongs to the orchid family ( Orchidaceae). The species is named after the Tübingen professor of medicine Leonhard Fuchs, author of many medical works and author of the famous books on herbs, named.

Description

Habitus and sheets

The spotted orchid is a perennial, herbaceous plant that reaches the plant height of about 20 to 90 centimeters. The pithy stem is not hollow. The leaves are 5 to 10 (up to 12 ) cm long, the tip of the uppermost leaf blade is removed in this way far from the inflorescence. The leaves are dark green on top, underside lighter and usually have transverse oval spots. The lower leaves are clustered in rosettes, the lowest foliage leaf is remarkably short and blunt.

Inflorescence and flowers

The dense and rich flowering inflorescence is initially conical, then cylindrical. The flowers are dark purple, rarely white, more or less marked with dots and dashes, usually with a symmetrical loop pattern on the lip. The bracts are usually shorter than the flower. The lip is smaller than the spotted orchid ( Dactylorhiza maculata ) and cut deeper in three parts. The middle lobe are preferred and more than half as big as a side tabs. The flowering period is from June to July.

Occurrence and distribution

As the site forests, fresh meadows, flat and moors of the hill and are preferred to subalpine altitudinal zone. This species is moderately common in Austria, is known about the exact distribution, no precise information.

Taxonomy

Under taxonomists there is disagreement as to whether spotted orchid actually - as described here - a separate species or just a subspecies or even only variety of the very variable stain fingerroot is. Some floras lead the clan accordingly as part of Dactylorhiza maculata see Latin on.

Pictures

Habit

Inflorescence

Blossom detail