Cephalanthera kurdica

C.kurdica is a beautiful ,richly blooming Cephalanthera orchid nourished mainly by symbiotic fungi -its own assimilation appratus is highly reduced .That is why the size of its rich inflorescence is in such striking disproportion with the size of reduced leaves .C. kurdica grows 28 in /70 cm long or shorter stems bearing barely 2 in/5cm long clinging or clasping leaves . The inflorescence is relatively sparse ,but it consists of a high number of (up to 40 ) shiny pink ,1 in /2.5 cm across flowers that open successively ,starting from the bottom one. This species grows in light forests and shrubberies -especially in oak woods with a lot of undergrowth . It blooms between April and June and is native to southern Turkey ,Turkish and Iraqi Kurdistan and weatern Persia.