Dactylorhiza romana - Roman Orchid - (Orchidaceae)

The flowers of this orchid are very variable in colour - pink, reddish, white, cream and yellow are all recorded.

Dactylorhiza romana

Picture by kind permission of Anne Horsefall

The distribution of the Roman Orchid is mainly in the central and eastern Mediterranean, but the true extent of its range is still unknown.

Dactylorhiza romana is a wildflower with a preference for slightly acidic conditions, and it can most often be found in grassy areas that are populated with bushes, as well as in the garrigue and in open woodland. This orchid, which likes sunny or partially shaded ground, blooms from March until April.

The specimen shown on this page was photographed in Crete.