Remnelepestnik

Family Orchidaceae. The Latin name of the genus comes from the Greek words "chimas" - belt and "glossa" - tongue, which explains the strap-like shape of the middle lobe of the lip. The genus remnelepestnik includes 6 species occurring in Europe, North America, the Caucasus and Western Asia.

Root tubers small, whole. Stem robust and tall. Leaves mostly basal; few or no stem leaves. Inflorescence a raceme. Bracts membranous. Flowers large; sepals and petals folded into a helmet-like shape. The lip is very large, three-lobed, with a very narrow and long middle lobe, which is cut, forked or notched at the end. The spur is shorter than the ovary. The column is straight. The anther is large, blunt. Pollinia with a common viscidium in one pocket. Ovary on a short stalk, twisted.

The genus remnelepestnik is distinguished by one interesting feature: all species (including those that live much farther north than their original habitat) have retained the life-cycle timing that developed in the Mediterranean climate, and their leaves emerge from the ground already in autumn. As a result, they suffer greatly from low temperatures in winter and by the beginning of the flowering period are often heavily damaged by frost.