Jewels from the meadow 3: Orchis collina

This is a rare species in Portugal, whose distribution seems to be fairly limited to the Adiça range, a mountain ridge in Alentejo made up of highly metamorphic carbonated rocks. Alongside this species we can find many calcicole plants and animals, rare in Portugal and the Iberian Peninsula.

Jewels from the meadow 2: Orchis italica

Orchis italica is one of the most common orchids in calcareous grasslands in Portugal often in huge populations, though it is seldom seen elsewhere. The lower petal of each flower has a very interesting shape: if attention is payed over it we can hardly see a man's shape... with everything in it!

Jewels from the Meadow1: Orchis conica

Orchids represent some of the most exquisite and complex strategies plants created to thrive among the larger species.

There's much information online about orchids and with this post I will only try to insist on the diversity of colours and shapes the portuguese species can come up with.

Hope you enjoy stopping by.

Orchis conica, a fairly widespread species in the southern half of Portugal.

The flowers just look like some dolls /girls clothes!

VI Noites Europeias de Borboletas Nocturnas | European Moth Nights 2009

Para todos, em todo o país, pelas borboletas, pelos ecossistemas!
LEIA, PARTICIPE, DIVULGUE