Sighting of Orchis militaris in Garrotxa

This Sunday, April 26th, we dedicated the day to field research in the Garrotxa and La Selva counties. Among the various species documented, one of the most notable was the observation of Orchis militaris, commonly known as the Military Orchid, in Garrotxa.

This terrestrial orchid, which owes its common name to the curious appearance of its flowers resembling a small soldier wearing a helmet, generally reaches peak flowering between April and June, aligning with our discovery. We were able to appreciate its flowers grouped in a cylindrical spike, with their characteristic 'helmets' formed by the sepals and lateral petals, often lilac or dark purple on the outside and lighter inside with purple veins.

The lower labellum, with its light pink or whitish hue and intense purple or fuchsia dots and spots, is particularly distinctive. This is divided to simulate the figure of a human body, with two small linear lateral lobes resembling arms and a central lobe that splits into two oval parts resembling legs, separated by a small triangular tooth. It also features a very short spur, 1 to 2 mm, arched downwards, pinkish-whitish in color.

The specimen was found in a habitat consistent with its preference for alkaline and calcareous substrates, in undisturbed meadows or forest clearings. It is particularly relevant to highlight that this species is considered scarce in Alta Garrotxa, making this observation a valuable contribution to the understanding of local flora and the distribution of this orchid in the region.