This mysterious flower in all its splendour seduces the mind leading it into tropical worlds of vivid colours and magical realms. There are about 20.000 naturally occurring species of orchids currently in existence of which a significant number grow among the forests and meadows of Italy. The region of Romagna alone accounts for forty species of various breeds and are all protected by the regional law n° 2 of 1977.

The flower consists of two parts; the outside part, the calyx, making up three sepals arranged in a triangle. Inside, sit two petals, often very tiny, and the stamen, being the more noticeable part, responsible for attracting pollinators. The leaves are oval in shape, with veining which joins at the apex.

Orchid reproduction is dependant upon insects, attracted by the unusual scent the shape and the colour of the flowers. Bees, bugs and butterflies settle on the stamen to feed from the nectar in the spur. Some orchids, such as the Ophrys, do not have nectar, and in order to attract insects they take the mimic the appearance of the female insect and emit a scent similar to that secreted by the female The insects deceived by the smell try mating with the flower, becoming covered in pollen, which they then deposit onto another orchid of the same species, mistaken for another female. After fertilization the flowers fades, while the ovaries develop the seeds that will be carried by the wind.

They have no supply of nourishment: that will be provided by some species of micro fungus with which many orchids will live in symbiosis until the formation of the bulb. Orchids lacking in chlorophyll will live in symbiosis for the duration of their existence. Such symbiosis takes the name of “mycorrhiza”. A heritage to protect: orchids are best observed close up in order to appreciate their beauty, their vivid colours and their strange shapes; but they are best left in their natural surroundings. They are delicate plants and so would find it difficult to adapt in a different environment.