Himantoglossum

Bocks- belt (Himantoglossum hircinum )

The genus of the strap ends ( Himantoglossum ) in the orchid family (Orchidaceae) contains only a few species. They are native to the warmer regions of Europe, only the Bocks- belt tongue is also found in northern Europe.

Description

They are strong, perennial herbaceous plants with two oblong- oval tubers as outlasting. The bud of the leaf rosette occurs in the autumn and is largely completed by winter. The leaves are oblong to strap- shaped. Even during the heyday of the leaves begin to wilt or are already wilted.

The flowering period extends, depending on location, from April to August. The terminal, racemose inflorescence is covered with numerous flowers. The bracts are long and extends beyond the ovary. This is twisted so that the flowers are 'upside. The petals are greenish to purple. The three outer petals and the lateral petals stick together and form a hood. The three-lobed lip is greatly extended, especially the middle lobe. This is linear shaped and twisted spirally, he often ends cut deep. The side lobes are shorter and have a wavy edge. The base of the lip forms a Spur. The column is short, the stamen contains two pollinia that hang over pedicels ( Caudiculae ) on a common viscid disc ( Viscidium ), which is surrounded by a hemispherical membrane ( Bursicula ). The scar is rounded to rounded - square. The separation between scar tissue and stamen ( rostellum ) is clearly formed.

The flowers are pollinated by various bees from the genera Andrena, Apis and Colletes. The spur contains small amounts of sugary nectar.

The chromosome number is 2n = 36

Dissemination

The strap ends are spread throughout the Mediterranean. In Western Europe, its area is extended north to England, to the southwest, the distribution extends to North Africa. Eastern direction is achieved via Turkey nor Iran. The locations are always on dry, calcareous soil in a sunny to semi -shaded position. In addition to grasslands, abandoned fields and various Mediterranean shrub companies also sparse forests are inhabited.

System

Within the orchids, the strap ends are classified in the tribe Orchideae. Related genera are Anacamptis, Neotinea, Ophrys, serapias and Steveniella. Related particularly closely are the two types of Mastorchis ( Barlia ) and the Bartorchis ( Comperia comperiana ), which are therefore added counted by some authors to the strap ends. The corresponding classes are also available separately monophyletic, the cladogram is as follows:

Himantoglossum

Barlia

Comperia comperianum

Steveniella satyrioides

Anacamptis

Serapias

Ophrys

Neotinea

It an intergeneric hybrid between the Taurus belt tongue ( Himantoglossum montis - tauri ) and related Bartorchis ( Comperia comperiana ) as × Comptoglossum agiasense was described in 2004.

The species in the genus, the belt tongues:

• Adriatic belt tongue ( Himantoglossum adriaticum )
• Oriental belt tongue ( Himantoglossum affine )
• Himantoglossum calcaratum
• Goat belt tongue ( Himantoglossum caprinum )
• Himantoglossum formosum
• Bocks- belt (Himantoglossum hircinum )
• Himantoglossum montis - tauri