Lizard Orchid Care

The lizard orchid is a perennial terrestrial species and has a rather untidy appearance. It bears numerous greenish purple flowers, which are densely clustered on a spike about 10 to 50 cm (4 to 20 inches) long. The central labellum (lip) of each flower bears several long, slightly twisted lobes. The two side lobes resemble the hindlegs of a lizard, the long central part of the lip is similar to a tail, and the petals and sepals form the head and body. Although individuals can live for more than 20 years, it is thought that most plants flower only once.

Himantoglossum hircinum (lat.) - a kind of monocotyledonous flowering plants of the genus Remnepestnik (Himantoglossum) of the Orchid family (Orchidaceae).Perennial herb 20-115 cm high. Stem glabrous, hollow, with purple spots. Tubers are oval or spherical, not separated from each other . Leaves 5-20 cm long and 2-6.5 cm wide, elliptical, obtuse, from 4 to 10 . Inflorescence is loose, multi-flowered, cylindrical, 10-50 cm long. Sepals are obtuse, 14 mm long and 7 mm wide. Bracts light green or whitish, 30-50 mm long and 5 mm wide. The lip is whitish, 3-6.5 mm long, has purple spots at the base. The spur is blunt, conical, slightly curved, 5 mm long and 6 mm wide. The column is short, straight, and has two green polylines. The ovary is deformed, light green, with three longitudinal ribs. The flowers have an unpleasant "goaty" smell. Flowering lasts for two to three weeks. The flower is pollinated by wasps, bees (mainly the genus Andrena), bumblebees, butterflies; sometimes self-pollination (geitenogamy) is observed. The fruit is a capsule, ripens 4-6 weeks. The capsule can contain up to 30 thousand seeds, which germinate within two years. The weight of one seed is about 0.01 mg.

This plant is useful.