Dactylorhiza cordigera (Fr.) Soó, 1962
Common names: Heart Shaped Lip Dactylorhiza, Heart-flowered Marsh-orchid [En], Herz-Knabenkraut [De], Δακτυλόριζα η καρδιοφόρος [Gr]

Endemic species

IUCN Status: LC (Least Concern)

Grammos Mount, KASTORIA ● Greece

Description: The overall plant grows to around 40 cm and is very robust. The leaves are darkly spotted.
The flowers are dark purple with a pattern of even darker loops and streaks. The lower lip is distinctly heart-shaped.

Biology: It flowers from late May to late July.

Habitat: Marshy mountain meadows, stream banks, springs and seepages. It grows in acid to alkaline soils in full sunlight. From 900-2,400 m altitude.

Distribution: Endemic to Europe where it is found in the Balkans, extending from northern Greece, to Bulgaria, Bosnia-Herzegovina and northwards to the Carpathians and Ukraine.

References:
Rankou H., 2011. Dactylorhiza cordigera. In: IUCN 2012. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.2.
Delforge P., 1995. Orchids of Britain & Europe. Delachaux et Niestlé SA, Lausanne.
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Greek Orchids

Created on

Monday 25 June 2012

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Macedonia | Greece

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• Orchidaceae / Dactylorhiza

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