Himantoglossum hircinum

The genus Himantoglossum is marked by one interesting quality: all of its specimens have retained their mediterranean biorhythem and their leaves start growing out of the ground as early as in the fall . As a result ,they are sometimes severly damaged by the freezing winter temperatures before the spring comes ,and their flowers are almost dead when the flowering period begins!

H.hircinum is somewhat smaller than the previous species but otherwise very similar to it . Its flowers give off a strong goatish odor . The plants inhabit sunny grassy hillside ,shrubberies and light deciduous forests,and they bloom as late as between May and July.The plant's orginal habitat consisted of the central and western parts of the Mediterranean ,from which it gradually spred out all the way to the British Isles and the western regions of Central Europe .