Gymnadenia

Gymnadenia represents a genus belonging to the orchid family and consisting of 22 terrestrial species.

They plants thrive in damp meadow, fen and marsh, on chalk or lime stones, frequently in alpine areas of Europe and Asia up to the Himalayas.


Being deciduous, they manage to live on by means of their corms that are 2 deep-cut tubers. Long lance –shaped, green-colored leaves emerge from the bottom of the stem with smaller leaves borne atop of the stem.

The blooming time for gymnadenias takes place in summer. They give rise to the inflorescence representing a cylindrical spike, having the length from 5 to 30 cm. One spike can bear up to 150 tiny fragrant blossoms that come from purplish to pink and white colors.

The broad lip has 3 lobes. The edging petals grow horizontally. The plant also bears slender, thread- looking spur.