Himantoglossum hircinum

Details Top

Internal ID UUID64403e40373ef896357549
Scientific name Himantoglossum hircinum
Authority Spreng.
First published in Syst. Veg. 3: 694 (1826)

Ethnobotanical Use Top

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General Uses Top

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Scientific/model‑organism use:
Himantoglossum hircinum is employed as a model organism in orchid research. Its mycorrhizal associations, reproductive biology, and genetic structure have been examined in peer‑reviewed investigations (e.g., studies published in Plant Biology, Mycorrhiza, and Conservation Genetics). The species is used to explore mycorrhizal specificity among European terrestrial orchids, to assess population genetic diversity across its European range, and to test conservation strategies. Molecular work on H. hircinum typically focuses on chloroplast DNA markers and nuclear microsatellites, providing data for phylogenetics and species‑level systematics within the Orchidaceae. Standard laboratory protocols for asymbiotic and symbiotic seed germination have been developed using H. hircinum seeds, serving as a reference for orchid propagation methods. The species also appears in population genetic and phylogeographic analyses that inform the IUCN Red List assessment and conservation planning for European orchids.

Standards and regulation:
The lizard orchid is listed in Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which requires export or re‑export permits for any commercial transaction. Within the European Union it is protected under the Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC) – Annex IV – and by the EU Wildlife Trade Regulation (EU) 2021/2283, which implements CITES at the EU level. The species is also included in the Bern Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats (Annex II) and is covered by national legislation in many range countries, including the United Kingdom’s Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, Germany’s Federal Nature Conservation Act (BNatSchG), France’s Code de l’environnement, Italy’s Legge 157/1992, and Spain’s Ley 42/2007. These frameworks prohibit the collection of wild specimens without a licence and regulate any trade or movement.

Sustainability and sourcing:
Because wild populations are rare and declining, collection from natural habitats is prohibited across most of its European range. Sustainable use for scientific study and educational display relies on cultivated material propagated in botanical gardens and orchid conservation programmes. Ex situ seed banks, such as the Millennium Seed Bank at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, store H. hircinum seeds for long‑term conservation. Re‑introduction projects carried out by conservation NGOs and governmental agencies aim to restore self‑sustaining populations in suitable habitats. Any collection of plant material for research or horticultural display must be authorized by the relevant competent authority, and propagation is encouraged to reduce pressure on wild populations.

Synonyms Top

Scientific name Authority First published in
Loroglossum hircinum (L.) Rich. De Orchid. Eur. : 32 (1817)
Orchis hircina Crantz Stirp. Austr. Fasc. , ed. 2, 2: 484 (1769)
Aceras hircinum Lindl. Gen. Sp. Orchid. Pl. : 282 (1835)
Satyrium hircinum L. Sp. Pl. : 944 (1753)
Himantoglossum hircinum f. laxiflorum W.Zimm. Allg. Bot. Z. Syst. 23: 11 1917
Himantoglossum hircinum f. thuringiacum (M.Schulze) M.Schulze Orch. Deutschl. 38 1894
Aceras hircinum var. thuringiacum M.Schulze Mitth. Thüring. Bot. Vereins 7: 17. 1889
Loroglossum hircinum var. thuringiacum (M.Schulze) E.G.Camus Monogr. Orchid. 81 1908
Himantoglossum hircinum f. latisectum Waisb. Magyar Bot. Lapok 7: 44 1908
Himantoglossum hircinum f. calamistratum (Gallé) Soó Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. 24: 33 1927
Aceras hircinum var. calamistratum Gallé Actes Congr. Int. Bot., Paris 1900: 114.
Loroglossum hircinum f. calamistratum (Gallé) E.G.Camus Monogr. Orchid. 81 1908
Himantoglossum hircinum f. forcipula (Gallé) Soó Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. 24: 33 1927
Aceras hircinum var. forcipula Gallé Actes Congr. Int. Bot., Paris 1900: 114.
Loroglossum hircinum f. forcipula (Gallé) E.G.Camus Monogr. Orchid. 81 1908
Loroglossum hircinum f. divergens E.G.Camus Monogr. Orchid. 81 1908
Himantoglossum hircinum f. divergens Soó Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. 24: 33 1927
Aceras hircinum var. divergens Gallé Actes Congr. Int. Bot., Paris 1900: 114.
Himantoglossum hircinum var. heldreichii (Schltr.) Soó Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. 24: 33 1927
Himantoglossum caprinum var. heldreichii Schltr. Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. 15: 287. 1918
Himantoglossum hircinum var. bracteatum Schltr. Monogr. Iconogr. Orchid. Eur. 1: 144. 1926
Himantoglossum hircinum f. comosum Waisb. Magyar Bot. Lapok 7: 44 1908
Himantoglossum hircinum f. brevibracteatum Kurt.Wagner Mitt. Arbeitskreises Heimische Orchideen 12: 54 (1983)
Himantoglossum hircinum f. coloriglossum Voelckel & Kurt.Wagner Mitt. Arbeitskreises Heimische Orchideen 12: 60 (1983)
Himantoglossum hircinum f. brevilaciniatum Kurt.Wagner Mitt. Arbeitskreises Heimische Orchideen 12: 60 (1983)
Himantoglossum hircinum f. longelaciniatum Kurt.Wagner Mitt. Arbeitskreises Heimische Orchideen 12: 62 (1983)
Himantoglossum hircinum f. acutum Kurt.Wagner Mitt. Arbeitskreises Heimische Orchideen 12: 62 (1983)
Himantoglossum hircinum f. purpureum Kurt.Wagner Mitt. Arbeitskreises Heimische Orchideen 12: 62 (1983)
Himantoglossum hircinum var. pendulum Kurt.Wagner Mitt. Arbeitskreises Heimische Orchideen 17: 21 (1988)
Himantoglossum hircinum var. minusculum Kurt.Wagner Mitt. Arbeitskreises Heimische Orchideen 12: 53 (1983)
Himantoglossum hircinum var. altum Kurt.Wagner Mitt. Arbeitskreises Heimische Orchideen 12: 53 (1983)
Himantoglossum hircinum var. praealtum Kurt.Wagner Mitt. Arbeitskreises Heimische Orchideen 12: 53 (1983)
Himantoglossum hircinum var. viride Kurt.Wagner Mitt. Arbeitskreises Heimische Orchideen 12: 60 (1983)
Himantoglossum hircinum var. pullum Kurt.Wagner Mitt. Arbeitskreises Heimische Orchideen 12: 61 (1983)
Himantoglossum hircinum var. hirsutum Kurt.Wagner Mitt. Arbeitskreises Heimische Orchideen 12: 61 (1983)
Himantoglossum hircinum var. confusum Kurt.Wagner Mitt. Arbeitskreises Heimische Orchideen 12: 61 (1983)
Himantoglossum hircinum lus. inodorum Kurt.Wagner Mitt. Arbeitskreises Heimische Orchideen 12: 55. 1983
Aceras hircinum var. platyglossum É.Gallé Actes Congr. Int. Bot., Paris 1900: 117 (1900)
Loroglossum hircinum var. minor Gray Nat. Arr. Brit. Pl. 2: 199
Loroglossum hircinum var. platyglossum (Gallé) Rouy Fl. France 13: 183 (1912)
Himantoglossum hircinum var. comosum Waisb. Magyar Bot. Lapok 7: 44 (1908)
Himantoglossum hircinum lus. albidum W.Zimm. Allg. Bot. Z. Syst. 23: 11 -1917
Himantoglossum hircinum lus. viridans W.Zimm. Allg. Bot. Z. Syst. 23: 11 -1917

Common names Top

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Language Common/alternative name
English lizard orchid
Spanish orquídea del lagarto
Spanish orquidea del lagarto
Bulgarian обикновена пърчовка
Catalan orquídia del llangardaix
Czech jazýček kozlí
Welsh tegeirian y fadfall
German bocks-riemenzunge
German bocksorchis
German bocksriemenzunge
Persian ارکیده مارمولکی
French orchis bouc
French loroglosse à odeur de bouc
French satyre fétide
Upper Sorbian wšědna byklinka
Hungarian mediterrán sallangvirág
Hungarian bakbűzű sallangvirág
Italian barbone caprino
lb bock-rimmerzong
Dutch bokkenorchis
Slovak jazýčkovec kozí
Vietnamese lizard orchid

Subspecies (abbr. subsp./ssp.) Top

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Varieties (abbr. var.) Top

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Name Authority First published in
Himantoglossum hircinum var. hircinum Unknown

Subvarieties (abbr. subvar.) Top

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Forms (abbr. f.) Top

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Germination/Propagation Top

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Distribution (via POWO/KEW) Top

Legend for the distribution data:
- Doubtful data
- Extinct
- Introduced
- Native
  • Europe
    • Middle Europe
      • Austria
      • Belgium
      • Czechoslovakia
      • Germany
      • Hungary
      • Netherlands
      • Switzerland
    • Northern Europe
      • Great Britain
    • Southeastern Europe
      • Italy
      • Sicilia
    • Southwestern Europe
      • France
      • Spain

Links to other databases Top

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Database ID/link to page
World Flora Online wfo-0000982424
Tropicos 23507526
INPN 102797
Flora of Italy 8162
KEW urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:638840-1
The Plant List kew-99272
Plantarium 41606
Open Tree Of Life 621554
Observations.org 2562
NCBI Taxonomy 59326
NBN Atlas NHMSYS0000459709
IPNI 638840-1
iNaturalist 147182
GBIF 5324951
Freebase /m/0bp3gz
EPPO HMAHI
EOL 1099833
Wikipedia Himantoglossum_hircinum
CMAUP NPO22101

Genomes (via NCBI) Top

No reference genome is available on NCBI yet. We are constantly monitoring for new data.

Scientific Literature Top

Below are displayed the latest 15 articles published in PMC (PubMed Central®) and other sources (DOI number only)!
If you wish to see all the related articles click here.
Title Authors Publication Released IDs
Comparative Cytogenetic of the 36-Chromosomes Genera of Orchidinae Subtribe (Orchidaceae) in the Mediterranean Region: A Summary and New Data Turco A, Albano A, Medagli P, Wagensommer RP, D’Emerico S Plants (Basel) 28-Jul-2023
PMCID:PMC10421308
doi:10.3390/plants12152798
PMID:37570952
Orchidaceae in Puglia (Italy): Consistency, Distribution, and Conservation Turco A, Albano A, Medagli P, D’Emerico S, Wagensommer RP Plants (Basel) 05-Jun-2023
PMCID:PMC10255703
doi:10.3390/plants12112223
PMID:37299203
Spatial heterogeneity ensures long-term stability in vegetation and Fritillaria meleagris flowering in Uppsala Kungsäng, a semi-natural meadow Hytteborn H, Carlsson BÅ, Svensson BM, Zhang L, Rydin H PLoS One 08-Mar-2023
PMCID:PMC10045606
doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0282116
PMID:36888605
Traditional, Therapeutic Uses and Phytochemistry of Terrestrial European Orchids and Implications for Conservation Bazzicalupo M, Calevo J, Smeriglio A, Cornara L Plants (Basel) 05-Jan-2023
PMCID:PMC9863304
doi:10.3390/plants12020257
PMID:36678970
The fate of secondary metabolites in plants growing on Cd-, As-, and Pb-contaminated soils—a comprehensive review Asare MO, Száková J, Tlustoš P Environ Sci Pollut Res Int 19-Dec-2022
PMCID:PMC9760545
doi:10.1007/s11356-022-24776-x
PMID:36529801
‘Fly to a Safer North’: Distributional Shifts of the Orchid Ophrys insectifera L. Due to Climate Change Charitonidou M, Kougioumoutzis K, Karypidou MC, Halley JM Biology (Basel) 24-Mar-2022
PMCID:PMC9025215
doi:10.3390/biology11040497
PMID:35453696
Dihydrophenanthrenes from a Sicilian Accession of Himantoglossum robertianum (Loisel.) P. Delforge Showed Antioxidant, Antimicrobial, and Antiproliferative Activities Badalamenti N, Russi S, Bruno M, Maresca V, Vaglica A, Ilardi V, Zanfardino A, Di Napoli M, Varcamonti M, Cianciullo P, Calice G, Laurino S, Falco G, Basile A Plants (Basel) 15-Dec-2021
PMCID:PMC8708532
doi:10.3390/plants10122776
PMID:34961247
Environmental and Management Effects on Demographic Processes in the U.S. Threatened Platanthera leucophaea (Nutt.) Lindl. (Orchidaceae) Bell TJ, Bowles ML, Zettler LW, Pollack CA, Ibberson JE Plants (Basel) 28-Jun-2021
PMCID:PMC8309198
doi:10.3390/plants10071308
PMID:34203209
Xylochemical Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of Shancigusin C and Bletistrin G Geske L, Kauhl U, Saeed ME, Schüffler A, Thines E, Efferth T, Opatz T Molecules 27-May-2021
PMCID:PMC8198954
doi:10.3390/molecules26113224
PMID:34072126
An Orchid in Retrograde: Climate-Driven Range Shift Patterns of Ophrys helenae in Greece Charitonidou M, Kougioumoutzis K, Halley JM Plants (Basel) 02-Mar-2021
PMCID:PMC8000551
doi:10.3390/plants10030470
PMID:33801443
A Synopsis of Sardinian Studies: Why Is it Important to Work on Island Orchids? Lussu M, Marignani M, Lai R, Loi MC, Cogoni A, Cortis P Plants (Basel) 06-Jul-2020
PMCID:PMC7411895
doi:10.3390/plants9070853
PMID:32640731
Elucidating Mechanisms of Endophytes Used in Plant Protection and Other Bioactivities With Multifunctional Prospects Fadiji AE, Babalola OO Front Bioeng Biotechnol 15-May-2020
PMCID:PMC7242734
doi:10.3389/fbioe.2020.00467
PMID:32500068
Natural Products as Fungicide and Their Role in Crop Protection Santra HK, Banerjee D Natural Bioactive Products in Sustainable Agriculture 12-May-2020
PMCID:PMC7212785
doi:10.1007/978-981-15-3024-1_9
Pollen Developmental Arrest: Maintaining Pollen Fertility in a World With a Changing Climate Pacini E, Dolferus R Front Plant Sci 24-May-2019
PMCID:PMC6544056
doi:10.3389/fpls.2019.00679
PMID:31178886
Taxonomy of fungal complex causing red-skin root of Panax ginseng in China Lu XH, Zhang XM, Jiao XL, Hao JJ, Zhang XS, Luo Y, Gao WW J Ginseng Res 06-Feb-2019
PMCID:PMC7195572
doi:10.1016/j.jgr.2019.01.006
PMID:32372873

Phytochemical Profile Top

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Below are displayed the proven (via scientific papers) natural compounds!
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Name PubChem ID Canonical SMILES MW Found in Proof
> Benzenoids / Benzene and substituted derivatives / Benzoic acids and derivatives / Hydroxybenzoic acid derivatives
4-Hydroxybenzoic acid 135 Click to see C1=CC(=CC=C1C(=O)O)O 138.12 unknown via CMAUP database
> Benzenoids / Benzene and substituted derivatives / Benzoic acids and derivatives / Methoxybenzoic acids and derivatives / M-methoxybenzoic acids and derivatives
Vanillic Acid 8468 Click to see COC1=C(C=CC(=C1)C(=O)O)O 168.15 unknown via CMAUP database
> Hydrocarbons / Saturated hydrocarbons / Alkanes
Hentriacontane 12410 Click to see 436.80 unknown via CMAUP database
> Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Terpene glycosides / Iridoid O-glycosides
Aucubin 91458 Click to see C1=COC(C2C1C(C=C2CO)O)OC3C(C(C(C(O3)CO)O)O)O 346.33 unknown via CMAUP database
> Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Triterpenoids
(+)-Ursolic Acid 64945 Click to see 456.70 unknown via CMAUP database
(1S,2R,4aS,6aR,6aS,6bR,8aR,10S,12aR,14bR)-10-hydroxy-1,2,6a,6b,9,9,12a-heptamethyl-2,3,4,5,6,6a,7,8,8a,10,11,12,13,14b-tetradecahydro-1H-picene-4a-carboxylic acid 7163172 Click to see 456.70 unknown via CMAUP database
> Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Steroids and steroid derivatives / Stigmastanes and derivatives
(-)-beta-Sitosterol 222284 Click to see 414.70 unknown via CMAUP database
Stigmasterol 5280794 Click to see 412.70 unknown via CMAUP database
> Organic oxygen compounds / Organooxygen compounds / Carbohydrates and carbohydrate conjugates / Glycosyl compounds / O-glycosyl compounds
Sucrose 5988 Click to see 342.30 unknown via CMAUP database
> Organic oxygen compounds / Organooxygen compounds / Carbohydrates and carbohydrate conjugates / Oligosaccharides
GlyTouCan:G72414ZC 44420456 Click to see 504.40 unknown via CMAUP database
Stachyose 439531 Click to see 666.60 unknown via CMAUP database
> Organoheterocyclic compounds / Imidazopyrimidines / Purines and purine derivatives / 6-aminopurines
Adenine 190 Click to see C1=NC2=NC=NC(=C2N1)N 135.13 unknown via CMAUP database
> Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / 2-arylbenzofuran flavonoids
(2R,3R,4S,5S,6R)-2-[(E)-3-[(2S,3R)-2-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-3-(hydroxymethyl)-7-methoxy-2,3-dihydro-1-benzofuran-5-yl]prop-2-enoxy]-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxane-3,4,5-triol 11027727 Click to see 520.50 unknown via CMAUP database
> Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Cinnamic acids and derivatives / Hydroxycinnamic acids and derivatives / Coumaric acids and derivatives
[(2R,3R,4R,5R,6R)-2-[2-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)ethoxy]-3,5-dihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-4-yl] (E)-3-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)prop-2-enoate 6915840 Click to see 478.40 unknown via CMAUP database
[(2R,3R,4S,5R,6R)-2-[2-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)ethoxy]-3,5-dihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-4-yl] (E)-3-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)prop-2-enoate 5320625 Click to see 478.40 unknown via CMAUP database
[(2R,3R,4S,5R,6R)-6-[2-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)ethoxy]-3,5-dihydroxy-4-[(2R,3R,4R,5R,6S)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-methyloxan-2-yl]oxyoxan-2-yl]methyl (E)-3-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)prop-2-enoate 110062419 Click to see CC1C(C(C(C(O1)OC2C(C(OC(C2O)OCCC3=CC(=C(C=C3)O)O)COC(=O)C=CC4=CC(=C(C=C4)O)O)O)O)O)O 624.60 unknown via CMAUP database
Calceolarioside A 5273566 Click to see C1=CC(=C(C=C1CCOC2C(C(C(C(O2)CO)OC(=O)C=CC3=CC(=C(C=C3)O)O)O)O)O)O 478.40 unknown via CMAUP database
Calceolarioside B 5273567 Click to see 478.40 unknown via CMAUP database
Hellicoside 5281778 Click to see C1=CC(=C(C=C1C=CC(=O)OC2C(OC(C(C2OC3C(C(C(C(O3)CO)O)O)O)O)OCC(C4=CC(=C(C=C4)O)O)O)CO)O)O 656.60 unknown via CMAUP database
Isoacteoside 6476333 Click to see CC1C(C(C(C(O1)OC2C(C(OC(C2O)OCCC3=CC(=C(C=C3)O)O)COC(=O)C=CC4=CC(=C(C=C4)O)O)O)O)O)O 624.60 unknown via CMAUP database
Isomartynoside 91895373 Click to see 652.60 unknown via CMAUP database
Leucosceptoside A 10394343 Click to see 638.60 unknown via CMAUP database
Martynoside 5319292 Click to see 652.60 unknown via CMAUP database
Plantainoside B 9847922 Click to see 478.40 unknown via CMAUP database
Plantamajoside 5281788 Click to see C1=CC(=C(C=C1CCOC2C(C(C(C(O2)CO)OC(=O)C=CC3=CC(=C(C=C3)O)O)OC4C(C(C(C(O4)CO)O)O)O)O)O)O 640.60 unknown via CMAUP database
Plantasioside 44423103 Click to see 476.40 unknown via CMAUP database
Scroside B 9831187 Click to see COC1=C(C=C(C=C1)CCOC2C(C(C(C(O2)COC(=O)C=CC3=CC(=C(C=C3)O)OC)O)OC4C(C(C(C(O4)CO)O)O)O)O)O 668.60 unknown via CMAUP database
Verbascoside 5281800 Click to see CC1C(C(C(C(O1)OC2C(C(OC(C2OC(=O)C=CC3=CC(=C(C=C3)O)O)CO)OCCC4=CC(=C(C=C4)O)O)O)O)O)O 624.60 unknown via CMAUP database
> Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / Flavonoid glycosides / Flavonoid O-glycosides
Plantagoside 174157 Click to see 466.40 unknown via CMAUP database
> Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / Flavonoid glycosides / Flavonoid O-glycosides / Flavonoid-7-O-glycosides
Homoplantaginin 5318083 Click to see COC1=C(C=C2C(=C1O)C(=O)C=C(O2)C3=CC=C(C=C3)O)OC4C(C(C(C(O4)CO)O)O)O 462.40 unknown via CMAUP database
Plantaginin 5320623 Click to see C1=CC(=CC=C1C2=CC(=O)C3=C(C(=C(C=C3O2)OC4C(C(C(C(O4)CO)O)O)O)O)O)O 448.40 unknown via CMAUP database

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