Anacamptis papilionacea

Anacamptis papilionacea
Photo: Holger Disse, 05/04/2005, bei Ragusa/Sizilien

Butterfly Orchid

Slender plant with a height of 15 to 30 cm and 3 to 8 foliage leaves which are are rather small, lanceolate and unspotted. The loose inflorescence consists of 2 to 15 flowers, each one supported by a broad and long bract. The spur is directed downwards. Petals and all sepals form a loose hood, but the sepals can also be spreaded. The labellum is almost undivided, ovate and often marked with fine lines.

Anacamptis papilionacea
Photo: Holger Disse, 05/04/2005, bei Ragusa/Sizilien

Taxonomic discussion

The species was named Orchis papilionacea by Linné (1759). In 1997, Richard Bateman, Alec Pridgeon and Mark Chase transferred the species to the genus anacamptis as a result of molecular studies. The exact name is Anacamptis papilionacea subsp. papilionacea.

Anacamptis papilionacea
Photo: Γιάννης Γαβαλάς (Ioannis Gavalas), 17/03/2012, bei Chora/Amorgos, Griechenland

White colour of flowers

The colours of the flower range from bright pink to red and dark crimson. There are white forms with pink veins in petals and sepals as well as albino forms with green veins.

Photo: Γιάννης Γαβαλάς (Ioannis Gavalas), 17/03/2012, bei Chora/Amorgos, Griechenland
Photo: Γιάννης Γαβαλάς (Ioannis Gavalas), 17/03/2012, bei Chora/Amorgos, Griechenland

Habitat, bloom and distribution

Anacamptis papilionacea is growing in grasslands and bright woods, up to 1800 m. Bloom is from February to May. The species is distributed in Italy, the Southern Balkan and Greece.