Orchis mascula

Species of flowering plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae

Orchis mascula, the early purple orchid, early spring orchis, is a species of flowering plant in the orchid family, Orchidaceae.

Orchis mascula is a perennial herbaceous plant with stems up to high, green at the base and purple on the apex. The root system consists of two tubers, rounded or ellipsoid. The leaves, grouped at the base of the stem, are oblong lanceolate, pale green, sometimes with brownish purple speckles. The inflorescence is long and it is composed of 6 to 20 flowers gathered in dense cylindrical spikes. The flower size is about and the color varies from pinkish purple to purple. The lateral sepals are ovate lanceolate and erect, the median one, together with the petals, is smaller and cover the gynostegium. The labellum is three lobed and convex, with crenulated margins and the basal part clearer and dotted with purple brown spots. The spur is cylindrical or clavate, horizontal or ascending. The gynostegium is short, with reddish green anthers. It blooms from April to June.

This orchid is devoid of nectar and attracts pollinating insects (bees and wasps of the genera Apis, Bombus, Eucera, Andrena, Psithyrus and Xylocopa, and sometimes beetles) with the appearance of its flower which mimics other species. Orchids in the genus Orchis form mycorrhizal partnerships mainly with fungi in the family Tulasnellaceae. Orchis mascula has been suggested to have only one mycorrhizal partner, in the Tulasnellaceae.

The species is widespread across Europe, from Portugal to the Caucasus (Ireland, Great Britain, The Faroe Islands, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Latvia, Spain, France, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, Austria, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Switzerland, Italy, former Yugoslavia, Albania, Greece, Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania, Poland, Ukraine, most of Russia), in northwest Africa (Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco) and in the Middle East (Lebanon, Syria, Iraq) up to Iran. (Codes)

It grows in a variety of habitats, from meadows to mountain pastures and woods, in full sun or shady areas, from sea level to 2,500 metres (8,000 ft) altitude.

The Latin specific epithet mascula means "male" or "virile"; this could refer to the robust aspect of this species, or to the shape of the two tubers, which resemble testicles.

A flour called salep or sachlav is made of the ground tubers of this or some other species of orchids. It contains a nutritious starch like polysaccharide called glucomannan. In some magical traditions, its root is called Adam and Eve Root. It is said that witches used tubers of this orchid in love potions.