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ORCHIDACEAE
Orchid
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ORCHIDACEAE

Orchid Family

 The Orchidaceae are terrestrial, epiphytic, or saprophytic herbs comprising one of the two largest families of flowering plants with about 1,000 genera and 15-20,000 species. The leaves are alternate or seldom opposite or whorled and have a sheathing base and an entire, often fleshy, parallel-veined blade. The flowers are typically zygomorphic and bisexual but sometimes are virtually actinomorphic and rarely are unisexual. The perianth consists of 6 tepals in two similar or dissimilar whorls. The outer whorl of 3 distinct or variously connate tepals is sometimes sepaloid. Two members of the inner whorl of 3 tepals are alike and may be quite similar to the outer tepals. The third tepal of the inner whorl forms a labellum that typically is highly modified in shape and or coloration. The androecium and gynoecium are nearly always adnate into a column or gynostegium. Orchids in subfamily Cypripedioideae have two stamens, one on each side of the column. Orchids in the largest subfamily Orchidoideae have a single terminal stamen and the anthers generally produce one or more waxy masses of pollen called pollinia. The gynoecium consists of a single compound pistil of 3 carpels that together with the androecium comprises the column in most species. The stigma is just proximal to the single terminal stamen in most species. The stigma is two- or three-lobed and the ovary is inferior and almost always has 1 locule with very numerous, up to several million, very tiny parietal ovules. The fruit is mostly capsular.
Scientific Name Generic Name Maltese Name Flowering Period Thumbnail Picture Status
Anacamptis pyramidalis
(L.) L.C.M. Richard

INDIGENOUS (originating from the Maltese islands) Not rare This species is not protected by law Special Notes (n/a) No main synonyms for this species
Pyramidal Orchid Orkida Piramidali May-Jun Anacamptis pyramidalisPyramidal Orchid Detailed Profile
Anacamptis urvilleana
Sommier & Caruana Gatto

ENDEMIC (found only on the Maltese islands) Not rare This species is not protected by law Special Notes (n/a) Main Synonym: Anacamptis pyramidalis ssp. urvilleana
Maltese Pyramidal Orchid Orkida Piramidali Ta' Malta Feb-Mar Anacamptis urvilleanaMaltese Pyramidal Orchid -
Barlia robertiana
(Loiseleur) Greuter

INDIGENOUS (originating from the Maltese islands) This is a VERY RARE species. Never pick up or harm the plant! This species is not protected by law Special Notes (n/a) Main Synonym: Himantoglossum robertiana
Giant Orchid Orkida Kbira Jan-Feb Barlia robertianaGiant Orchid Detailed Profile
Ophrys apifera
Hudson

INDIGENOUS (originating from the Maltese islands) This is a VERY RARE species. Never pick up or harm the plant! This species is not protected by law Special Notes (n/a) No main synonyms for this species
Bee Orchid Naħla Apr-May Ophrys apiferaBee Orchid Short Profile
Ophrys bertolonii
Moretti

INDIGENOUS (originating from the Maltese islands) This is a VERY RARE species. Never pick up or harm the plant! This species is not protected by law Special Notes (n/a) No main synonyms for this species
Bertoloni's Orchid,
Bertoloni's Bee Orchid 		Orkida Ta' Bertoloni Mar-Apr Ophrys bertoloniiBertoloni's Orchid Short Profile
Ophrys bombyliflora
Link

INDIGENOUS (originating from the Maltese islands) Not rare This species is not protected by law Special Notes (n/a) No main synonyms for this species
Bumblebee Orchid Naħla Mar-Apr Ophrys bombylifloraBumblebee Orchid Detailed Profile
Ophrys caesiella
Delforge

SUB-ENDEMIC (found only on the Maltese islands and neighbouring islands or territories) This is a RARE species. Please do not pick up! This species is not protected by law Special Notes (n/a) No main synonyms for this species
Maltese Brown Orchid Dubbiena Ta' Malta Feb-Mar Ophrys caesiellaMaltese Brown Orchid Detailed Profile
Ophrys ciliata
Bivona

INDIGENOUS (originating from the Maltese islands) Not rare This species is not protected by law Special Notes (n/a) Main Synonym: Ophrys speculum
Mirror Orchid Dubbiena Kaħla Mar-Apr Ophrys ciliataMirror Orchid Short Profile
Ophrys eleonorae
J.& P. Devillers-Terschuren

INDIGENOUS (originating from the Maltese islands) Not rare This species is not protected by law Special Notes (n/a) Main Synonym: Ophrys iricolor subsp. maxima
Eleonore's Ophrys Dubbiena Mar-Apr Ophrys eleonoraeEleonore's Ophrys Detailed Profile
Ophrys fusca
Link

INDIGENOUS (originating from the Maltese islands) Not rare This species is not protected by law Special Notes (n/a) No main synonyms for this species
Sombre Bee Orchid,
Brown Bee Orchid 		Dubbiena Dec-May Ophrys fuscaSombre Bee Orchid Detailed Profile
Ophrys gazella
J.& P. Devillers-Terschuren

INDIGENOUS (originating from the Maltese islands) Not rare This species is not protected by law Special Notes (n/a) Main Synonym: Ophrys fusca subsp. gazella
Gazelle Ophrys No Name Jan-Feb Ophrys gazellaGazelle Ophrys Short Profile
Ophrys holosericea
(Burmann f.) Greuter

INDIGENOUS (originating from the Maltese islands) This is a VERY RARE species. Never pick up or harm the plant! This species is not protected by law Special Notes (n/a) Main Synonym: Ophrys arachnites
Late Spider Orchid No Name Jan-May Ophrys holosericeaLate Spider Orchid Short Profile
Ophrys lacaitae
Lojacono

INDIGENOUS (originating from the Maltese islands) This is a VERY RARE species. Never pick up or harm the plant! This species is not protected by law Special Notes (n/a) Main Synonym: Ophrys holosericea ssp. lacaitae
Yellow Spider Orchid Brimba Safra Apr-May Ophrys lacaitaeYellow Spider Orchid Short Profile
Ophrys lunulata
Parlatore

SUB-ENDEMIC (found only on the Maltese islands and neighbouring islands or territories) This is a VERY RARE species. Never pick up or harm the plant! This species is not protected by law Special Notes (n/a) No main synonyms for this species
Moon Orchid Orkida Tal-qamar Mar-Apr Ophrys lunulataMoon Orchid Short Profile
Ophrys lupercalis
J.& P. Devillers-Terschuren

Data coming soon... Not rare This species is not protected by law Special Notes (n/a) No main synonyms for this species
Ophrys Of Lupercales No Name Ophrys lupercalisOphrys of Lupercales Short Profile
Ophrys lutea subsp. lutea
Cavanilles

INDIGENOUS (originating from the Maltese islands) This is a VERY RARE species. Never pick up or harm the plant! This species is not protected by law Special Notes (n/a) No main synonyms for this species
Yellow Orchid Żunżana Mar-Apr Ophrys lutea subsp. luteaYellow Orchid Short Profile
Ophrys melitensis
(Salkowski) J.& P. Devillers-Terschuren

ENDEMIC (found only on the Maltese islands) Not rare This species is not protected by law Special Notes (n/a) Main Synonym: Ophrys sphegodes subsp. melitensis
Maltese Spider Orchid Brimba Sewda Mar-May Ophrys melitensisMaltese Spider Orchid Detailed Profile
Ophrys mesaritica
Paulus & Alibertis

INDIGENOUS (originating from the Maltese islands) Not rare This species is not protected by law Special Notes (n/a) Main Synonym: Ophrys iricolor subsp. mesaritica
Cretan Blue Orchid,
Mesara's Ophrys 		Dubbiena Bikrija Dec-Feb Ophrys mesariticaCretan Blue Orchid Detailed Profile
Ophrys oxyrrhynchos
Todaro

INDIGENOUS (originating from the Maltese islands) This is a VERY RARE species. Never pick up or harm the plant! This species is not protected by law Special Notes (n/a) Main Synonym: Ophrys holosericea ssp. oxyrrhynchos
Sicilian Spider Orchid No Name Mar-Apr Ophrys oxyrrhynchosSicilian Spider Orchid Short Profile
Ophrys pectus
Mutel

INDIGENOUS (originating from the Maltese islands) Not rare This species is not protected by law Special Notes (n/a) Main Synonym: Ophrys fusca complex
Chest-shaped Ophrys No Name Feb-Apr Ophrys pectusChest-shaped Ophrys Short Profile
Ophrys phryganea
J.& P. Devillers-Terschuren

INDIGENOUS (originating from the Maltese islands) This is a VERY RARE species. Never pick up or harm the plant! This species is not protected by law Special Notes (n/a) Main Synonym: Ophrys lutea subsp. phyrganae
Phyrgana Ophrys No Name Mar-Apr Ophrys phryganeaPhyrgana Ophrys Short Profile
Ophrys tenthredinifera
Willdenow

INDIGENOUS (originating from the Maltese islands) This is a VERY RARE species. Never pick up or harm the plant! This species is not protected by law Special Notes (n/a) No main synonyms for this species
Sawfly Orchid No Name Jan-Mar Ophrys tenthrediniferaSawfly Orchid Short Profile
Orchis collina
Banks & Solander ex Russel

INDIGENOUS (originating from the Maltese islands) Not rare This species is not protected by law Special Notes (n/a) Main Synonym: Orchis saccata
Fan-Lipped Orchid Orkida Ħamra Feb-Mar Orchis collinaFan-Lipped Orchid Detailed Profile
Orchis conica
Willdenow

INDIGENOUS (originating from the Maltese islands) Not rare This species is not protected by law Special Notes (n/a) No main synonyms for this species
Conical Orchid Orkida Tat-tikek Feb-Mar Orchis conicaConical Orchid Detailed Profile
Orchis coriophora subsp. fragrans
L.

DOUBTFUL ? (It is not yet established if this species is Native or not) Not rare This species is not protected by law Special Notes (n/a) No main synonyms for this species
Bug Orchid No Name Apr-May Orchis coriophora subsp. fragransBug Orchid Short Profile
Orchis italica
Poiret

INDIGENOUS (originating from the Maltese islands) This is a VERY RARE species. Never pick up or harm the plant! This species is not protected by law Special Notes (n/a) No main synonyms for this species
Italian Orchid Ħajja U Mejta Tal-werqa Fdewxa Mar-May Orchis italicaItalian Orchid Short Profile
Serapias parviflora
Parlatore

INDIGENOUS (originating from the Maltese islands) Not rare This species is not protected by law Special Notes (n/a) Main Synonym: Serapias lingua ssp. parviflora
Small-flowered Serapias Bajdet Il-fenek,
Orkida Tal-ilsien żgħira 		Mar-Apr Serapias parvifloraSmall-flowered Serapias Short Profile
Serapias vomeracea
(Burmann f.) Briquet

INDIGENOUS (originating from the Maltese islands) This is a VERY RARE species. Never pick up or harm the plant! This species is not protected by law Special Notes (n/a) No main synonyms for this species
Long-lipped Serapias,
Long-lipped Tongue Orchid 		Orkida Tal-ilsien Kbira Mar-Apr Serapias vomeraceaLong-lipped Serapias Short Profile
Spiranthes spiralis
(L.) Chevallier

INDIGENOUS (originating from the Maltese islands) This is a RARE species. Please do not pick up! This species is not protected by law Special Notes (n/a) No main synonyms for this species
Autumn Lady's Tresses Ħajja U Mejta Oct-Nov Spiranthes spiralisAutumn Lady's Tresses Detailed Profile





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All material and data on this webpage is under copyright of the author of this site - Stephen Mifsud / www.MaltaWildPlants.com / Malta. (2002 - 2008)