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vascular plants                     lichens                        fungi                   bryophytes ______________________________________________________________________ ORCHIDS Orchids, because of their rarity and beauty, hold a special fascination for all naturalists. On Thásos the orchid flora consists of 27 confirmed species and a further two whose presence needs verifying. Some species will be familiar to botanists from north-western Europe, such as pyramidal orchid and autumn lady’s tresses, but there are also more exotic species including violet limodore and heart-flowered serapias. In damp lowland meadows loose-flowered orchids can be spectacular and abundant. During my visits I have rarely encountered other species - limodore in the chestnut woods above Panagia, Provence orchid in montane pastures among the conifers below Profitis Ilias, and horned orchid in the old olive groves on the slopes above Thassos Town. No doubt more observant botanists will find these and other orchid species more frequently but I think it’s true to say that they are localised and hence always a delight when stumbled upon. Several Mediterranean/Aegean/Balkan field guides will provide an introduction to the orchids of the area. A more specific work, in Greek and English with maps and illustrations, is available - Kalopissis, Y.T. 1988. The orchids of Greece. Cretan Ecosystem RC. CHECKLIST Pyramidal orchid Anacamptis pyramidalis (Linnaeus) Fragrant orchid Gymnadenia conopsea (Linnaeus) Narrow-leaved helleborine Cephalanthera longifolia (Linnaeus) Broad-leaved helleborine Epipactis helleborine (Linnaeus) Violet limodore Limodorum abortivum (Linnaeus) Twayblade Listera ovata (Linnaeus) Bee orchid Ophrys apifera Hudson A spider orchid Ophrys atrata (Lindley) A woodcock orchid Ophrys bremifera Horned orchid Ophrys cornuta A spider orchid Ophrys epirotica Dark bee orchid Ophrys fusca s.l. Link Lesser yellow bee orchid Ophrys sicula Bosom orchid Ophrys mammosa s.l. (Desf.) Early spider orchid Ophrys sphegodes Miller Bug orchid Orchis fragrans (Pollini) Naked man orchid Orchis italica Poiret Loose-flowered orchid Orchis laxiflora Lamarck Pink butterfly orchid Orchis papilionacea Linnaeus Painted orchid Orchis picta Provence orchid Orchis provincialis Balbis Four-spotted orchid Orchis quadripunctata Ten. Monkey orchid Orchis simia Lamarck Toothed orchid Orchis tridentata Scopoli Heart-flowered serapias Serapias cordigera (Linnaeus) Ploughshare orchid Serapias vomeracea s.l. (Burm.) Autumn lady’s tresses Spiranthes spiralis (Linnaeus)   UNCONFIRMED SPECIES Dense-flowered orchid Neotinea maculata (Desf.) Greater butterfly orchid Platanthera chlorantha (Custer)