Orchis simia Lam., Fl. Franç. 3: 507 (1779).
Homotypic Synonyms:
Orchis militaris var. simia (Lam.) Gaudin, Fl. Helv. 5: 434 (1829).
Heterotypic Synonyms:
Orchis simia var. cercopitheca Georgi, Beschr. Nation. Russ. Reich 3(5): 169 (1779).
Orchis simia var. laxiflora Boiss., Fl. Orient. 5: 63 (1882).
Orchis simia f. rotundilobus Cortesi, Ann. Bot. (Rome) 1: 167 (1903).
Orchis simia f. brevidens Rouy in G.Rouy & J.Foucaud, Fl. France 13: 135 (1912).
Description:
Stems 20-40 cm, glabrous, with 3-5 basal leaves. Basal leaves oblong, lanceolate. Bracts 2-3 mm, minutely much shorter than the ovary. Spike 3-5 cm, ovate, dense. Flowers 1-5-2 c m wide, purplish-red with darker veins, united into a hood-likes tructure. Labellum1 0-15m m, trilobed, whitish; lateral lobes linear-filiform; mid-lobe trilobed,the central lobe c. 1 mm, the lateral lobes filiform. Spur2 -3 mm, decurved ,less than half the length of the ovary. Ovary 1-5-2 cm, spindle-shaped.
Habitat:
Mediterranean communities, especially forest margins. Fl. March-April.
Distribution:
Europe to Iran, N. Africa
