The Limodorum abortivum, or Violet Limodore as it is commonly called, is a plant belonging to the Orchidaceae family that widespread throughout the Italy. In the Province of Salerno they can be found along the Mediterranean and in particular areas such as the Vallone Porto in Positano.
The name of this elegant orchid derives from the Latin ‘abortus’, which means abortion, in reference to the scale-like leaves, such as they are aborted. Being the largest and among the flashiest Italian saprophytic orchids, it is a plant that lives on decaying organic matter in the soil, with a characteristic of scaly trunk, tall and robust, with large flowers which are difficult to observe them being fully opened.
It's a plant high from 20 to 80 cm. The root system is constituted by a short rhizome and numerous short roots. The stem is robust, purplish or reddish-purple.
The leaves are reduced to scales sheathing the stem, and are poor in chlorophyll. The inflorescence is long and loose, in raceme with a variable number, from 8 to 20, of large and white-purplish flowers. The lips are curved and shorter than sepals, while the spurs are more or less as long as the ovaries and the nectars. The gynostemium are elongated, yellow orange. The bloom starts from mid-April to late June.
This orchid can be considered parasitic because, having no leaves, it is unable to carry out photosynthesis, hence forcing it to stay in symbiosis with a fungus. However, extensive studies have revealed that the fungus does not draw any benefit from this union.
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Notes
Del Prete C., Tosi G., Orchidee spontanee d'Italia, Milano, Mursia, 1988
Pignatti S., Flora d'Italia, Bologna, Edagricole, 1982