Anacamptis pyramidalis

Anacamptis pyramidalis

Descrição morfológica:

Encontramos esta orquídea nos prados secos seminaturais (habitat 6210) da encosta da Serrra da Boaviagem.


The Pyramidal Orchid, Anacamptis pyramidalis, is an orchid native to southwestern Eurasia, from western Europe through the Mediterranean region eastwards to Iran. In Germany, it is rare and was declared Orchid of the Year in 1990 to heighten awareness of this plant.

Charles Darwin's book Fertilisation of Orchids included an illustration of the head of a moth with its proboscis laden with several pairs of pollinia from the Pyramidal orchid, Orchis pyramidalis.

This hardy perennial plant grows to a height of 30 cm. The colour of the flower varies from pink to purple, or rarely white, and the scent is described as "foxy". The arrangement of hermaphroditic flowers in a compact pyramidal shape is very distinctive and gives the orchid its common name. The flowers are pollinated by butterflies and moths. The mechanism by which its pairs of pollinia attach themselves to an insect's proboscis was discovered by Charles Darwin and described in his book on the Fertilisation of Orchids.[1] This orchid requires a sunny spot on diverse soils: loamy or clay, rarely on sandy soils. It can even grow on very alkaline soil.

The dried and ground tuber gives a fine white powder, called salep. This is a very nutritious sweet starchlike substance. It is used in drinks, cereals and in making bread. It is also used medicinally in diets for children and convalescents.

There are some notable varieties, which are sometimes treated as subspecies – and as they seem to be limited to certain regions, this may be correct:
Anacamptis pyramidalis var. tanayensis (Chenevard) Soó in Keller – Tanay Pyramidal Orchid. Flowers darker and smaller. Fribourg and Valais cantons (Switzerland).

Anacamptis pyramidalis var. urvilleana (Sommier & Caruana) Kreutz – Maltese Pyramidal Orchid Malta.

Anacamptis pyramidalis var. sanguinea (Druce) Kreutz – Western Irish Pyramidal Orchid. Inflorescence rounder, plant smaller overall. County Galway to County Kerry (Ireland)

The variety alba can be found anywhere in the Pyramid Orchid's range; its flowers are white.


Locais de registo na Praia de Quiaios e na Serra da Boaviagem:

Identificação:

" Coutinho (1939/2ed) - Flora de Portugal "

O Género Anacamptis na "Flora Iberica"

Distribuição em Portugal: Não encontrei mapa de distribuição da espécie para Portugal. Mas ocorre provavelmente em todo o território do Centro e Sul de Portugal com clima mediterrânico ou submediterrânico e em terrenos que não sejam estritamente arenosos.



Alguma fotografias da Praia de Quiaios:

Links e Bibliografia:

Orquideas de Portugal: Anacamptis pyramidalis
Orchidaceae » Herbário da Universidade de Coimbra » Universidade de Coimbra