Syn.: Orchis abortiva L., Epipactis abortiva All., Serapias abortiva Scop., Centrosis abortiva (L.) Sw., Ionorchis abortiva (L.) Beck
Family: Orchidaceae Juss.
Distribution: The Mediterranean region, southern part of central and eastern Europe and southwestern Asia, northward to Belgium, southern Germany, Austria, southern Moravia and Slovakia, eastward to Crimea, Caucasus and Iran.
Ecology: It grows as saprophyte in open forests and forest margins, often on limestone soils, from lowlands to foothills. It blooms from May to July.
Description: Violet perennial herb, with short rhizome. Stem erect, 20–80 cm tall, rigid, clothed with scalelike sheaths, green leaves absent. The flowers in an erect, spike-like, terminal raceme which is up to 33 cm long, lax, 6–25-flowered; bracts lanceolate; perianth-segments c. 2 cm, the outer oblong-lanceolate, the inner slightly shorter and narrower, violet, labellum 1.6–1.7 cm, triangular, entire, with undulate margins, yellow and violet, spur up to 2 cm long, curved upwards. The fruit is a capsule.
Threat and protection: The Violet Limodore is protected by CITES, it is listed in the Red List of Austria, Germany, Switzerland, registered in the Red Book of Bulgaria, France, Croatia, Ukraine, and protected by law in Czechia, Slovakia, Hungary and Serbia.
These images were taken in Austria, Lower Austria, Hundsheimer Berge (by Ladislav Kovář: June 1, 2008) and Slovakia, Tematínské vrchy (capsule by Zdeněk Podešva: June 7, 2008).
