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Himantoglossum jankae
The name, Himantoglossum jankae, is given to the widely recognised lizard orchid species that is distributed primarily in the Balkan Peninsula and the northwestern region of Asia Minor and has been erroneously named H. caprinum in most previous literature A robust herbaceous, tuberous perennial. Flowering stem (30–)50–72(–110) cm tall; basal leaves 66–135(–240) × 17–40 mm, cauline leaves decreasing in size and becoming increasingly bracteoidal upward. Inflorescence 100–500 mm long with (10–)20–40(–75) flowers. Lowest bracts (19–)30–44(–75) mm long, the remainder (6–)9–20(–30) mm long; uppermost bracts usually longer than the flowers that they subtend. Sepals (11–)13–16(–18) × (5–)6.2–7.8(–9) mm. Lateral petals (7–)9.5–11.5(–13) × (2–)2.5–3.5(–4.5) mm, usually three-lobed. Labellum deeply three-lobed, usually dark, rarely light reddish-purple, at the base whitish or cream-coloured with (6–)10–20(–33) dark purple papillate spots; mid-lobe (25–)46–68(–85) × 1–3 mm; apical notch of the mid-lobe (2–)8–50 mm deep; lateral lobes strongly crenulated, (4–)11–19.5(–29) × (1–)2–3(–4) mm. Spur (5–)6.5–8(–9.5) × (2–)2.5–3.5(–4.5) mm at the opening. Column short, stigmatic cavity quadrate, rostellum prominent. Mature capsules (10–)13.5–21.5(–25) × (3–)4–5(–6.5) mm.
Dry grasslands, forest edges, shrublands on calcareous soils. Spotted in Enipeas canyon (Mount Olympus, Greece).
Spotted on May 31, 2015
Submitted on Jan 19, 2016
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