My (Imaginary) Orchid Collection
A couple of weeks ago we went to hunt for wild peonies, and found many new orchids along the trail. I also spotted a few tall orchids that weren't in bloom yet, so today I went back to spot them. And I present to you the whole series. Perhaps this is not the place for this post, as non of them is fragrant. Amon gate Israeli orchids, only the Holy Orchid (Orchis sancta) that is extremely rare (and I didn't meet yet) and the Scented Orchid (which smells like dung) have smell. I'll let the photos speak for themselves.
I'll start with the first orchid I met on the trail (note the many Anatolian Orchids behind it):
Cephalanthera longifolia ืกืืืื ืืืืจืฉ
Orchis galilaea ืกืืื ืืืืื
Orchis tridentataย ืกืืื ย ืฉืืืฉ-ืืฉืื ืืืย
Orchis anatolica ืกืืื ืื ืืืื
This small yet impressively coloured orchid rules the slopes of Mt. Meron but still manages to look special and impressive.ย
This small yet impressively coloured orchid rules the slopes of Mt. Meron but still manages to look special and impressive.ย
Orchis papilionacea ย ืกืืื ืคืจืคืจื ื
Orchis papilionacea ย ืกืืื ืคืจืคืจื ื
This is the same as above but perhaps older and therefore less vibrant in colour.
This is the same as above but perhaps older and therefore less vibrant in colour.
Limodorum abortivum (Violet Limodore) ืฉื ืง ืืืืจืฉ
This is the one I spotted about to bloom a couple of weeks ago, and came back to see today. It was already starting to dry out, but still - you can get the picture. It's a very tall orchid. Note how it compares to the rockrose (cistus) and blood helichrysum next to it:
Ophrys umblicata ืืืืจื ืืช ืืื ืกืืืจ
This last photo was not photographed on Mt. Hillel but I found another one and didn't bother to take a photo (was saving camera space for the peonies!). There are several other kinds of bee orchids in Israel, here is another one just for fun:
Early Spider Orchid (Ophrys transhyrcana) ืืืืจื ืืช ืืงืืืคื
Ophrys holosericea (Great Bee Orchid) ืืืืจื ืืช ืืืืื
The following are also not found on the same site, but are part of my imaginary orchid collection nevertheless.
Anacamptis pyramidalis ืื-ืกืืื ืฆืจืืคื
This one is relatively common in our area (lower altitude). I think this its rhizomes are the original ingredient of the Sahleb pudding.
This lovely one I could not for the life of me identified. Spotted in Kziv Creek reserve, along the same trail that has the Wild Lilies. I would love to learn which one it is!
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Ayala Sender