Orchis

Military orchid (Orchis militaris )

The orchids i.e.S. (Orchis ) constitute a genus in the family of the Orchid Family ( Orchidaceae).

Name

Because of the similarity of the two tubers with the testicles the botanical name comes from the Greek word όρχις orchis ( testicle ). The Greek philosopher Theophrastus was the first naturalist of BC, the orchids mentioned about 300 scientific. Because of the double root tubers and their similarity to the male genitalia, he named it " Orchis " and established the superstitions which still long found himself in ancient writings that women who ate the stronger and juicier of the two bulbs, a boy would give birth. ( Theophr. IX. 18.3. ) The German name " orchid " is derived.

In classical Greek mythology, Orchis, the son of a satyr and a nymph, was killed by Bacchantes. He was transformed into a plant by the prayers of his father, which now bears his name.

Description

The orchids (Orchis ) are perennial herbaceous plants with ovoid tubers as Überdauerungsorganen ( geophytes ). One of the tubers withered at flowering time, the other is for the next flowering period determined ( AC tuber). It was believed in the past that the species of the genus Orchis need seven to nine years from germination to flowering. Indeed, this time period is significantly shorter. The green-winged orchid (Orchis morio ) can get in the best case already within three to four years to flower. The aerial parts are slightly poisonous and are avoided when fresh from the cattle.

The seeds are very numerous and small, often only 1/4 mm and a millionth of a gram heavy.

Species

The genus is divided into nine sections:

  • Section Orchis L. Orchis adenocheilae
  • Orchis aserica
  • Galilee (Orchis Galilee )
  • Italian orchid (Orchis italica )
  • Military orchid (Orchis militaris L.)
  • Dotted Orchid (Orchis punctulata )
  • Lady Orchid (Orchis purpurea)
  • Stevens Orchid ( Orchis stevenii, O. militaris stevenii subsp. )
  • Monkey orchid (Orchis Simia )
  • Section Galericulatae E.Klein Milky white orchid (Orchis lactea )
  • Three-toothed orchid (Orchis tridentata Scop; newly. Neotinea tridentata ( Scop. ) RM Bateman, Pridgeon & MW Chase )
  • Cone (Orchis tridentata subsp. Commutata, O. conica )
  • Burnt Orchid (Orchis ustulata L.; New: Neotinea ustulata (L.) RM Bateman, Pridgeon & MW Chase )
  • Section Adranthus Schltr. Orchis dinsmorei
  • Lockerblütiges (Orchis laxiflora )
  • Marsh orchid (Orchis palustris)
  • Section Coriophoranthus Schltr. Bug Orchid (Orchis coriophora )
  • Holy Orchid (Orchis sancta )
  • Section Phalaenanthus Schltr. Borys (Orchis boryi )
  • Orchis cyrenaica
  • Israeli Orchid (Orchis israelitica )
  • Butterfly orchid (Orchis papilionacea )
  • Four-point (Orchis quadripunctata )
  • Brancifortis orchid ( Orchis brancifortii, O. quadripunctata subsp. Brancifortii )
  • Section Morianthus Schltr. Green-winged Orchid or salep orchid ( Orchis morio L.; New: Anacamptis morio (L.) RM Bateman, Pridgeon & MW Chase )
  • Syrian Orchid (Orchis morio subsp. Syriaca )
  • Albanian Orchid (Orchis morio subsp. Albanica )
  • Langsporniges (Orchis longicornu Poir, re: . Anacamptis longicornu ( Poir. ) RM Bateman, Pridgeon & MW Chase )
  • Three tubers (Orchis champagneuxii )
  • Section Masculae Lindl. Male orchid (Orchis mascula ) Superb orchid (Orchis mascula subsp. Speciosa)
  • Sardinian (Orchis olbiensis subsp. Ichnusae )
  • Bright orchid or Algerian Orchid (Orchis provincialis subsp. Laeta )
  • Section Robustocalcare Hautz. Canary - winged Orchid (Orchis canariensis)
  • Atlas (Orchis patens )
  • Infiltrator (Orchis spitzelii )
  • Section Saccatae ( Parl ) H. Baumann & R. Lorenz Hill orchid or Sacksporniges (Orchis collina )

System

In a revision of the subtribe Orchidinae by Bateman in 1997 on the basis of genetic characteristics of the species to the genus Neotinea Galericulatae section and the types of sections Adranthus, Coriophoranthus, Phalaenanthus, Morianthus and Saccatae to the genus Anacamptis be counted. These changes are now already partly considered valid, eg Kew Gardens, have so far not fully enforced and are not without controversy among experts. (see notes at the Burnt Orchid )

Superstition and medicine

The flour of the tubers was a highly paid agent for the alleged recovery of the generative power, so an aphrodisiac by the doctrine of signatures in oriental antiquity. The plants are called in some places still love Wurz Wurz or trailing.

The tubers of Orchis species and some other orchids were formerly known as mucus drug ( " tubera salep " ) particularly in pediatrics in irritation of the gastro - intestinal tract applied, when there was no better medicines and remedies. Today orchid species are no longer considered as an effective medicinal herbs. Also, all species of the genera Orchis and Dactylorhiza highly protected, which is especially true for the underground plant parts.

Orchidoideae Maenad Perennial plant
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