| Gymnadenia | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Gymnadenia densiflora | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Order: | Asparagales |
| Family: | Orchidaceae |
| Subfamily: | Orchidoideae |
| Tribe: | Orchideae |
| Subtribe: | Orchidinae |
| Genus: | Gymnadenia R.Br. |
| Synonyms[1] | |
| |
Gymnadenia is agenus offlowering plants in the orchid family (Orchidaceae) containing 22terrestrialspecies. The former genusNigritella is now included inGymnadenia.
They can be found in dampmeadows,fens andmarshes, and on chalk or limestone, often in alpine regions ofEurope andAsia fromPortugal toKamchatka, includingChina,Japan,Mongolia,Siberia, theHimalayas,Iran,Ukraine,Germany,Scandinavia,Great Britain, etc.[2][3][4] The fragrant orchid (Gymnadenia conopsea) has been introduced into theUSA and is reportedly naturalized inConnecticut.[5]
These hardy terrestrialorchids aredeciduous. They survive the winter through two deep-cuttubers. Long lanceolategreenleaves grow at the bottom of thestem. There are some small leaves at the stop of the stem.
Theyflower during the summer. Theinflorescence is a dense cylindrical spike between 5 and 30 cm long. It can consists of up to 150 small pleasant-smellingflowers. It is recently discovered that eugenol and isoeugenol, floral volatile scent compounds, are catalyzed by single type of enzyme inGymnadenia species and gene encoding for this enzyme is first functionally characterized gene in this species so far.[6] Their color can vary from pale purple to pink andwhite. Thelip is wide with three lobes. The marginalpetals are horizontal. There is a long, thin, threadlike spur.
Severalspecies were formerly classified underNigritella. Thenothogeneric name ×Gymnigritella was used forhybrids between these two groups.
As of August 2023[update],Plants of the World Online accepted the following species and hybrids.[1] ([N] = formerly placed inNigritella, [GN] = formerly placed in ×Gymnigritella.)
Gymnadenia is the title of a novel published in 1929 in Norwegian by Nobel Prize winning authorSigrid Undset.[13] The novel was translated into English by Arthur G. Chater and published in 1931 asThe Wild Orchid.[14]
Media related toGymnadenia at Wikimedia Commons
Data related toGymnadenia at Wikispecies