Orchis italica | |
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Plant of Orchis italica (Tuscany) | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
(unranked): | Angiosperms |
(unranked): | Monocots |
Order: | Asparagales |
Family: | Orchidaceae |
Subfamily: | Orchidoideae |
Tribe: | Orchidae |
Subtribe: | Orchidinae |
Alliance: | Orchis |
Genus: | Orchis |
Species: | O. italica |
Binomial name | |
Orchis italica Poir. |
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Synonyms | |
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Orchis italica, commonly known as the naked man orchid or the Italian orchid, is a species of orchid native to the Mediterranean. It gets its common name from the lobed lip (labellum) of each flower which mimics the general shape of a naked man. It prefers partial shade and low nutrient soil and flowers in April. O. italica grows up to 50 centimetres (20 in) in height, with bright pink, densely clustered flowers. They are found commonly and widespread in the Mediterranean in large clusters.
Orchis italica is native to southwestern Europe (Balearic Islands, Portugal, Sardinia, and Spain), southeastern Europe (Albania, Greece, Italy, Crete, Sicily, and countries of the former Yugoslavia), western Asia (Cyprus, the East Aegean Islands, Lebanon, Syria, Israel, Palestinian Territories and Turkey), and northern Africa (Algeria, Libya, Morocco, and Tunisia).