Neotinea lactea

Neotinea lactea, the milky orchid, is a species of orchid found in Europe from France to Turkey and in two North African countries: Algeria and Tunisia.^[1] Its flowers are pale to light pink, reflecting its Latin root lacteus (milky).^[2]

Milky orchid
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Monocots
Order:	Asparagales
Family:	Orchidaceae
Subfamily:	Orchidoideae
Genus:	Neotinea
Species:	N. lactea
Binomial name
Neotinea lactea (Poir.) R.M.Bateman, Pridgeon & M.W.Chase
Synonyms
Neotinea corsica (Viv.) W.Foelsche Neotinea lactea subsp. corsica (Viv.) Kreutz Neotinea lactea var. corsica (Viv.) P.Delforge Neotinea lactea f. hanrii (Jord.) P.Delforge Neotinea lactea f. minuscula (A.Alibertis) P.Delforge Odontorchis lactea (Poir.) D.Tyteca & E.Klein Orchis acuminata Desf. Orchis corsica Viv. Orchis hanrici Hénon Orchis hanrii Jord. Orchis lactea Poir. Orchis lactea subsp. corsica (Viv.) Kreutz Orchis lactea subsp. minuscula A.Alibertis Orchis tenoreana Guss. Orchis tridentata var. hanrii (Jord.) Sigunov

The species were first described in 1798 by Poiret from Algeria.^[3]

Description

Neotinea lactea is a robust polycarpic geophyte of 10 to 25 cm high when flowering. The flower stem has a round cross-section with a rosette of 4 to 6 leaves at the base and is slightly ribbed at the top, with several smaller leaves sheathing the stem higher up. The many small flowers form a dense cluster of up to 7 cm long and oval or cylindrical in shape.^[4][5]

Habitat

Neotinea lactea prefers a dry calcareous soil with full sun to semi-shaded light. Plants can be found up to 1800 m elevation on calcareous grasslands, abandoned olive orchards, exposed locations in a garrigue and open forests.