Limodorum abortivum (L.) Sw.

Taxonomy: Fam. Orchidaceae// Genus: Limodorum// Species: Limodorum abortivum (L.) Sw.

Determined according to the botanical keys (Orchidaceae, Limodorum) provided by Moore in Tutin et al. (1980).

Lifeform: Perrenial; geophyte according to the Raunkiær system.

A saprophytic plant (Moore in Tutin et al., 1980). The plant lacks green leaves, and the stem is clothed with scale-like sheaths. According to Girlanda et al. (2006), the species has photosynthetic pigments, but due to inefficient photosynthesis it is specifically associated with ectomycorrhizal fungi, and appears to have nutrition strategy similar to achlorophyllous orchids.

Distribution: Native from Central Europe to the Mediterranean and Iraq according to the distribution information provided by the Plants of the World Online portal (Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew).

Habitat: Oak forests at c. 950 m altitude in the region of village of Pantelej (towards Kochanski dol).

Flowering period: Spring – early summer: MAY, JUN.

Locality: village of Shtalkovica.

*Limodorum abortivum* – habit. Osogovo – village of Shtalkovica region, 01.06.2025. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.

Locality: village of Pantelej region.

*Limodorum abortivum* – habit. Osogovo – village of Pantelej region (towards Kochanski dol), 12.05.2024. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.

*Limodorum abortivum* – habit. Osogovo – village of Pantelej region (towards Kochanski dol), 03.05.2024. Photo by Trajche Dimitrovski.

References:

Girlanda, M., Selosse, M.A., Cafasso, D., Brilli, F., Delfine, S., Fabbian, R., Ghignone, S., Pinelli, P., Segreto, R., Loreto, F., Cozzolino, S. and Perotto, S. (2006). Inefficient photosynthesis in the Mediterranean orchid Limodorum abortivum is mirrored by specific association to ectomycorrhizal Russulaceae. Molecular Ecology 15(2): 491-504. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-294X.2005.02770.x

Limodorum abortivum (L.) Sw. Plants of the World Online portal, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:640520-1 [Accessed 12.05.2024].

Limodorum Boehmer. Moore, D.M. in Tutin, T.G., Heywood, V.H., Burges, N.A., Moore, D.M., Valentine, D.H., Walters, S.M. & Webb, D.A. (1980). Flora Europaea. Volume 5: Alismataceae to Orchidaceae (Monocotyledones). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp. 329.

Orchidaceae – key to genera. Moore, D.M. in Tutin, T.G., Heywood, V.H., Burges, N.A., Moore, D.M., Valentine, D.H., Walters, S.M. & Webb, D.A. (1980). Flora Europaea. Volume 5: Alismataceae to Orchidaceae (Monocotyledones). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp. 325 – 326.

Last update: 17.12.2025.

Explore more