Editing Gymnadenia conopsea

{{redirect|Fragrant orchid|the autobiography|Fragrant Orchid: The Story of My Early Life}}
{{Short description|Species of orchid}}
{{Speciesbox
| image = Mücken-Händelwurz Gymnadenia conopsea.jpg
| status = LC
| status_system = IUCN3.1
| genus = Gymnadenia
| species = conopsea
| authority = ([[Carl Linnaeus|L.]]) [[Robert Brown (Scottish botanist from Montrose)|R.Br.]]
}}

'''''Gymnadenia conopsea''''', commonly known as the '''fragrant orchid''' or '''chalk fragrant orchid''', is a [[herbaceous plant]] of the family [[Orchidaceae]] native to northern Europe.

== Etymology ==
The name of the genus ''Gymnadenia'' is formed from [[Ancient Greek|Greek]] words {{lang|el|[[:wikt:γυμνός|γυμνός]]}} (''{{lang|el|gymnós}}'', "nude") and {{lang|el|[[:wikt:ἀδήν|ἀδήν]]}} (''{{lang|el|adēn}}'', "gland") and refers to the characteristics of the organs for secreting nectar. The specific Latin name "conopsea" derives from the Greek ''{{lang|el|κώνωψ}}'' (''{{lang|el|kónops}}''), literally meaning "mosquito-like", probably because of the similarity of the long spur of the flower with the mouthparts of a [[mosquito]].

The scientific binomial name of this plant was initially ''Orchis conopsea'', proposed by the Swedish naturalist and botanist Carl von Linné (1707–1778) in his ''{{lang|la|[[Species Plantarum]]}}'' of 1753. The name has been subsequently amended to the one currently accepted (''Gymnadenia conopsea''), by the British botanist Robert Brown (1773–1858) in 1813. In German, this plant is called ''{{lang|de|Mücken-Händelwurz}}'' or ''{{lang|de|Mücken Nacktdrüse}}''; in French, is called ''{{lang|fr|gymnadénie moucheron}}'' or ''{{lang|fr|orchis moucheron}}''; in Italy, it is called ''{{lang|it|manina rosea}}'' ("pink hand"); in Croatian, it is known under ''{{lang|hr|mrežasti vranjak}}''.

== Description ==
[[File:0rchideen 04.jpg|thumb|left|''Gymnadenia conopsea'' flowers with [[nectar]]-filled [[Spur (botany)|spur]]]]
[[File:Gymnadenia conopsea - Harilik käoraamat Niitvälja.jpg|thumb|''Gymnadenia conopsea'' var. ''alba'']]
[[File:Gymnadenia conopsea - harilik käoraamat.jpg|thumb|''Gymnadenia conopsea'']]
[[File:Gymnadenia conopsea infructescence - Niitvälja bog.jpg|thumb|Infructescence]]
''Gymnadenia conopsea'' reaches on average {{convert|20|-|60|cm}} of height, with a maximum of {{convert|80|cm}}. These plants are tuberous geophytes, as they bring their buds in underground tuber, organs that annually produce new stems, leaves and flowers. These orchids are "[[Terrestrial plant|terrestrial]]"  because unlike "[[Epiphyte|epiphytic]]" species, they do not grow on other plants of major sizes.

The stem is leafy and robust, with a striated surface. The [[Leaf|leaves]] are long, narrow and lanceolate and vary from 3 to 7. The leaf color is gray-green. Size of leaf: width 1 to 2&nbsp;cm, length 10 – 25&nbsp;cm.

These orchids have two ovoidal bulbs, deeply webbed and with many small and short lobes. Size of tubers: 1 to 3.5&nbsp;cm.

The inflorescence is {{convert|5|-|25|cm}} long and it is composed of flowers gathered in dense cylindrical spikes (up to 50 flowers per spike).  These inflorescences are scented and genes underlying eugenol (a volatile scent compound) production have been identified in Gymnadenia conopsea, [[Gymnadenia odoratissima|G. odoratissima]] and [[Gymnadenia densiflora|G. densiflora]].<ref>Gupta A K, Schauvinhold I, Pichersky E, and Schiestl F P.2014. Eugenol synthase genes in floral scent variation in Gymnadenia species.14(4)779-788.doi10.1007/s10142-014-0397-9</ref> The flowers are petiolated, placed in the axils of long bracts and reach on average {{convert|0.8|-|1.4|cm}}. They have a distinctive three lobed lip and long spurs. Their light scent is similar to [[cloves]]. Their colors vary from white and pink to pink-purple, more rarely white. These flowers bloom in the Summer, from June to July. They are [[hermaphrodite]] and pollinated by insects ([[entomophily]]), including [[moth]]s.

== Ecology ==
The species is almost exclusively pollinated by moths (Lepidoptera). The most common pollinators are the small elephant hawk-moth (''[[Deilephila porcellus]]''), hummingbird hawk-moth (''[[Macroglossum stellatarum]]''), silver Y (''[[Autographa gamma]]''), burnished brass (''[[Diachrysia chrysitis]]'') and large yellow underwing (''[[Noctua pronuba]]''). Fruit set is high with an average of 73%.

The seed's germination is conditioned by the presence of [[mycorrhizal fungi]]. ''Gymnadenia conopsea'' is held to be a mycorrhizal generalist, able to form associations with a variety of different fungal species including species in the [[Tulasnellaceae]], [[Ceratobasidiaceae]] and [[Pezizales]].<ref>{{Cite journal |title=Journal of Ecology - Orchid coexistence and mycorrhizal associations |doi=10.1111/j.1365-2745.2012.01998.x |s2cid=82584331 |doi-access=free }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0953756209000951 | doi=10.1016/j.mycres.2009.05.002 | pmid=19486943 | title=Fungi from the roots of the common terrestrial orchid Gymnadenia conopsea | date=2009 | last1=Stark | first1=Christiane | last2=Babik | first2=Wiesław | last3=Durka | first3=Walter | journal=Mycological Research | volume=113 | issue=9 | pages=952–959 }}</ref>

== Distribution ==
This plant is quite common throughout [[northern Europe]] with the exception of the [[Dinaric Alps]]. In Asia it is common in areas to the north of the [[Himalayas]].
''Gymnadenia conopsea'' ssp. ''borealis''  has been recorded from Co. Donegal, [[Ireland]] in 2004.<ref>Ennis, T. 2018 . A cream yellow form of the Heath Fragrant Orchid ''Gymnadenia conopsea'' ssp. ''borealis'' (Druce) F.Rose in Co. Donegal ''Irish Naturalist' Journal'' '''35'''(2) pp 119 - 120</ref>

== Habitat ==
This species' habitat includes mountain meadows and pastures, [[grassland]] and fens. They grow on siliceous and calcareous substrate, mildly damp and with low nutritional value, at an altitude of {{convert|0|-|2400|m}} above sea level.

== Subspecies ==
* ''Gymnadenia conopsea'' subsp. ''conopsea''
* ''Gymnadenia conopsea'' subsp. ''montana'' <small>Bisse</small>

== Synonyms ==
{{div col|colwidth=24em}}
* ''Gymnadenia alpina'' (Turcz. ex Rchb.f.) Czerep. 1981
* ''Gymnadenia anisoloba'' Peterm. 1849
* ''Gymnadenia comigera'' Rchb. 1830
* ''Gymnadenia gracillima'' Schur 1871
* ''Gymnadenia ibukiensis'' [[Tomitaro Makino|Makino]] 1912
* ''Gymnadenia orchidis var. pantlingii'' Renz 2001
* ''Gymnadenia ornithis'' Rich. 1818
* ''Gymnadenia pseudoconopsea'' Gren. Rouy 1912
* ''Gymnadenia pyrenaica'' Giraudias 1882
* ''Gymnadenia sibirica'' Turcz. ex Lindl. 1835
* ''Gymnadenia splendida'' [[Werner Dworschak|Dworschak]] 2002
* ''Gymnadenia splendida subsp. odorata'' Dworschak 2002
* ''Gymnadenia transsilvanica'' Schur 1866
* ''Gymnadenia vernalis'' [[Werner Dworschak|Dworschak]] 2002
* ''Gymnadenia wahlenbergii'' Afzel. ex Rchb.f. 1851
* ''Habenaria conopsea'' ([[Carl Linnaeus|L.]]) Benth. (1880)
* ''Habenaria gymnadenia'' [[George Claridge Druce|Druce]] 1897
* ''Orchis conopea'' Gras 1862
* ''Orchis conopsea'' L. 1753
* ''Orchis cornopica'' Mill. 1768
* ''Orchis ornithis'' Jacq. 1774
* ''Orchis peloria'' Foucault ex Poir. 1816
* ''Orchis pseudoconopea'' Gren. 1869
* ''Orchis pseudo-conopsea'' Gren. 1865
* ''Orchis pseudoconopsea'' J.Parm. 1894
* ''Orchis setacea'' Gilib. 1792
* ''Orchis suaveolens'' Salisb. 1796
* ''Satyrium conopseum'' (L.) Wahlenb. 1826<ref>Synonyms in [http://www.orchidspecies.com/gymconopsea.htm ''The Internet Orchid Species Photo Encyclopedia'' at Orchidspecies]</ref>
{{div col end}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}
* Pignatti S. - Flora d'Italia (3 voll.) - Edagricole – 1982, Vol. III
* Tutin, T.G. et al. - Flora Europaea, second edition - 1993
* CLAESSENS, J. & J. KLEYNEN (2011): The flower of the European Orchid – Form and function

== External links ==
* {{Commons-inline|italic=1}}
* {{Wikispecies-inline|Gymnadenia conopsea|''Gymnadenia conopsea''}}
* [https://www.biolib.cz/en/taxon/id42127/ Biolib]
* [http://luirig.altervista.org/flora/taxa/index2.php?scientific-name=gymnadenia+conopsea  Gymnadenia conopsea]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20121007182615/http://www.arkive.org/gymnadenia/gymnadenia-conopsea/ Archive]

{{Taxonbar|from=Q157442}}

[[Category:Gymnadenia|conopsea]]
[[Category:Orchids of Europe]]
[[Category:Orchids of Asia]]
[[Category:Plants described in 1753]]
[[Category:Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus]]