Nomenclature

Species name:

Orchis conica   Willd.

Author(s):

Carl Ludwig von Willdenow;
   Germany, 1765-1812

General names:

Conical Orchid

Maltese name:

Orkida tat-tikek

Plant Family:

Orchidaceae   (Orchid Family)

Name Derivation:

Orchis = testicle - referring to the pair of tubers which resembles testicles (Greek);
conica = Cone shaped - referring to the shape of the flowering spike. (Latin).

Synonyms:

None

Remarks:

-

Botanical Data

Plant Description

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Habitat:

Open woodland, garigue with poor grassland. Prefers dry, calcareous soils.

Frequency:

Frequent

Sources in Malta:

Frequent throughout as at Dingli Cliffs, wasteland/garigue near 'Gnien il-Haddiem' in Dingli, Ghajn Tuffieha, Pembroke etc.

Plant Height:

usually 10cm, but may reach up to 30cm.

Flowering Time:

Feb - Mar

Poison:

Unlikely to be poisonous.

The beauty of this plant is often not noticed since it grows low (about 10cm) and so it could be partially covered by higher surrounding vegetation. This orchid forms basal rosette of leaves which are lanceolate in shape and about 60-80mm long and 15-25mm wide. The glabrous leaves are green to light green in colour, have a smooth outline and a parallel venation. Some leaves are found up along the flowering stem, and these become distinct (not in a rosette arrangement) and have a sheath at the base around the stem.

The flowers are arranged in a dense spike on a common and single, fleshy flowering stalk. The cluster of flowers grows out close together around the fleshy stem and forms an overall shape of a cone, and hence the plant's name - conical orchid. The number of flowers varies from plant to plant but at least about 20. Each flower have 6 tepals and arranged as follows: A lower layer of 3 'sepals' and an upper layer of 3 'petals'. The two layers are very close to each other, nearly at the same locus and are often collectively called as tepals.

The sepals are at the back side of the flower and form a semi-spherical pouch in which the reproductive organs lay. These are white in colour with vertical green stripes. The 3 sepals are arranged as 2 upper, identical, small petals which are white and green in colour and a lower large, modified, 3-lobed, highly coloured petal which is referred to as the lip or labellum (pl. = labia). The labellum have a purple/pink border (on closer look it results to be dense number of pigmented spots) which fades away to a whitish center. On the white center there are further some large, prominent, purple spots at random order.

The reproductive organs are very small and united into a single column with 3 lower stigma (2 fertile and a sterile one called rostellum) and above there are the 2 large stamens (pollinia). The whole structure is reddish brown in colour and deep inside the complex structure of flower, yet still visible from outside. The flower also have a long, closed tube-like structure (called the spur) where nectar is secreted and makes the flower have a mild fragrance. The spur is located at the base of the labellum just below the stigma.

The flowers develop into the fruit, which are green oval capsules that produce numerous tiny seeds. These escape when the ripe fruit splits open. The plant develops asexually from division of tubers, or sexually from the seeds, the former being much more successful.

Additional Information

General protection of wild Orchids

It is a well known fact that the Wild Orchids are in danger of disappearing from the wild. It is hence very important not to cut these flowers despite their curious beauty. Every plant makes just one single flowering stem, and cutting will simply mean destroying the whole flowering cycle as it will not form another flower stem during that year. Large efforts and dedicated time were involved to to include here large, excellent quality and high resolution photos of this plant (using special and expensive photographic accessories) for the purpose so that people at home can admire the beauty of this plant from these photos [SM]

In this profile's photo gallery you find 2 very large photos for printing purposes. You can print it up to a poster size and admire it without the need of cuting the flowers! Alternatively, just take the challenge and fun of it - take your own good photos of this plant without cutting. [SM]

Personal Observations

Hybridization
Like many orchids, this plant is feasible for hybridization by cross-fertilizing a species with pollen from another different species. If the two species are different in their physical characteristics (phenotype) the offspring would result in a number of variants with different physical characteristics obtained from the parent plants, due to the random process of genetic recombination. For this reason one would find species in the wild which exhibit slightly different features especially in the colour, shape, and spots of the labellum. Sometimes the plants becomes quite different from the 'norm' phenotype and this may mislead or confuse botanists. [SM]

Here is an excellent example of hybridization between O. ursulata and O. conica showing both parents and offspring in one photo.

First to flower amongst the Orchids of Malta
Orchis conica is one of the first flowering orchids in Malta. It is normally in flower by the end of January, depending on seasonal weather conditions. Other common early flowering Orchids are Ophrys mesaritica (which flowes in the beginning of January) and Orchis collina which flowers at the same time with O. conicaa.

Photo Gallery

Spectacular close up photo of flowers in situ.

Photo of several flowers in situ.

Photo of the flowering spike in situ.

Close up photo of the attractive flower.

Flowers in this photo have intense colours and rather broad lobes.

Photo of a flowering spike with typical white and pink flowers that are decorated by many purple spots.

Photo of flowering spike that possesses highly coloured flowers with large blobs.

Photo of an albino form of Orchis conica.

Photo of a flowering spike that bears pale flowers with small dots.

Close up photo of a large flower. Some botanists sustain the the flower size is too large for the dscribed size of Orchis conica.

Image of 6 photos of different flowers of the Conical Orchis to show better the variation that the plant exhibits in its flowers.

This photo shows a flower which has a rather whitish colour with purple dots. (Feb 2006, Wied Anglu).

Another photo of the wonderful and decorated flower spike. (Feb 2006, Wied Anglu).

Close up photo of few flowers in the dense flowering spike. Note the detail of the reproductive organs in the upper flower.

Close up photo of the mouth of the flower, showing detail of the reproductive organs in particular the stamenoid column. The pair of pollina are enclosed in brown pouch-like coverings called theca.

Impressive close-up photo of the flowers in the natural reddish sunset light. Click here .

Photo of flower head. The plant had to be removed and translocated due it was surrounded by relatively high vegetation in situ, and hence not adequate for a photo.

Scanned image of flower head against a dark background.

Magnified scanned image of a single flower (front view) showing detail of the labellum and inner reproductive organs.

Magnified scanned image of a single flower (front view).

Scanned image of a flower (side view) showing the pouch shaped white and green-striped sepals in the rear part of flower structure. It also shows the long, tube-like structure called the spur in which nectar is secreted. The opening of the spur's cavity is found at the base of the labellum, beneath the stigma.

Front view scanned image of flower with annotated generic diagram to compare and identify the complex anatomical parts of the flower.

Photo of flowers with the labia removed to show the internal reproductive organs. As indicated in the annotated generic diagram, the stamens and stigma are united into a single columnar unit, with the stigma below, and 2 stamens above. Of the 3 stigmas, one is sterile and modified into a small beak like structure called rostellum, while the other 2 are at the side. One can note that the second flower from the right has some waxy white pollen on its brown fertile stigma.

Scanned image of 3 labia, 2 taken from same species (right and central).

Magnified scanned image of labia showing details of its pigmentation.

Scanned image of upper part of plant showing one leaf, the fleshy flowering stem, and the cluster of flowers which assume an overall conical shape.

Photo of a plant which has flowers with relatively deep purple colours.

Photo of another plant which consists basically of a basal rosette of leaves and a conical flowering-spike.

Photo of another plant in situ at Ghajn Tuffieha.

Photo of plant in a garigue (plant's common habitat in Malta). This orchid grows up to 15cm in length and forms roughly a conical inflorescence with numerous white+pink flowers. (May 2005, Dingli).

Photo of the basal rosette of leaves in situ. Leaves are green to light green in colour and often eaten by snails.

Photo of upper leaves at the flowering stem. Unlike the basal rosettes, stem leaves are distinct and have a sheath at the base around the stem.

Scanned image of leaf measuring about 60mm x 25mm. It has a smooth outline a basal white sheath and parallel venation.

Photo of a honey bee which have just pollinated the flower and have a pair of pollinia attached as marked with the arrow. It seemed that the bee tried to remove them, but the sticky base of the pollinia (the viscidium) adhered firmly to the head of the pollinator.

Two photos showing the pollinium adhered to the head of the pollinator as marked with an arrow.

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