Naked Man Orchid: Amazing Orchis Italica Flower

Orchis Italica, known as the naked man orchid, is one of the most surprising of the plant world! The Orchis Italica is a rare orchid from the Mediterranean with a quite surprising shape. Indeed, we can distinguish small bare snowmen's hence its English name "Naked Man Orchid".

Orchis Italica, or naked man orchid, is a Mediterranean orchid, 20 to 40 cm high, recognizable by its dense inflorescence composed of a large number of flowers with a delicately cut into strips. The petals and sepals are combined in a long acuminate helmet, concolorous with the lip of shade usually pink (sometimes pale pink, rarely purple).

Another peculiarity of this species, which makes it possible to recognize it in the rosette state: the strongly undulating basal leaves.

This species can be observed from full light to partial shade, on calcareous substrates (lean grasslands, open garrigues, light woods) up to 1300 m altitude.

Its distribution area, centered on southern Italy, extends from Morocco to the west in Lebanon to the east. She is absent from Sardinia and Corsica. It can locally create very large populations.