Limodorum

{{Short description|Genus of orchids}}

{{Automatic taxobox

| image = Limodorum abortivum Orchi 2013-04-16 022.jpg

| image_caption = Limodorum abortivum

| display_parents = 2

| taxon = Limodorum

| authority = Boehm. (1760)

| synonyms_ref =

| synonyms =

• Centrosis Sw., illegitimate name
• Jonorchis Beck, illegitimate name
• Limodoron St.-Lag.
• Lequeetia Bubani

| type_species = Limodorum abortivum

}}

Limodorum is a genus of myco-heterotrophic orchids. All species are temperate terrestrial plants and occur across much of Europe, North-West Africa, the Mediterranean Islands, and as far east as Iran. {{cite web |title=Limodorum Boehm. |url=https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:29861-1 |website=Plants of the World Online |publisher=Royal Botanical Gardens Kew}} Plants have evolved away from photosynthesis and as a result their leaves are reduced to scales. There is still chlorophyll present but the plants are believed to be solely dependent on their fungal partner for nutrients.{{Cite journal |last1=Girlanda |first1=M. |last2=Selosse |first2=M. A. |last3=Cafasso |first3=D. |last4=Brilli |first4=F. |last5=Delfine |first5=S. |last6=Fabbian |first6=R. |last7=Ghignone |first7=S. |last8=Pinelli |first8=P. |last9=Segreto |first9=R. |last10=Loreto |first10=F. |last11=Cozzolino |first11=S. |last12=Perotto |first12=S. |date=2005-12-05 |title=Inefficient photosynthesis in the Mediterranean orchid Limodorum abortivum is mirrored by specific association to ectomycorrhizal Russulaceae: MYCORRHIZAL SPECIFICITY IN LIMODORUM |url=https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1365-294X.2005.02770.x |journal=Molecular Ecology |language=en |volume=15 |issue=2 |pages=491–504 |doi=10.1111/j.1365-294X.2005.02770.x|pmid=16448415 |url-access=subscription }} They spend most of their life underground as a short stem with fleshy roots, the unbranched inflorescence can appear in April to June if conditions are favourable. {{cite journal |last1=Alrich |first1=Peggy |last2=Higgins |first2=Wesley |title=Limodorum: An Old World Genus |journal=Orchids (www.aos.org) |date=September 2015 |page=535 |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/290816596}}

The name finds its origin in "haemodoron", first applied by Theophrastus and later adopted by Jacques Daléchamps to refer to parasitic plants most likely in Orobanche. {{cite journal |last1=Uhlich |first1=Holger |title=Geschichte der Erforschung der Sommerwurzgewächse (Gattungen Orobanche und Phelipanche) |journal=Kochia |date=2014 |volume=8 |page=32 |doi=10.21248/kochia.v8.71 |url=http://www.flora-deutschlands.de/kochia8/kochia%208%20seiten%20027-061%20hr.pdf |access-date=25 April 2021}} The name is derived from the Greek “leimo-” (meadow) and “dōron,” (gift). {{cite journal |last1=Alrich |first1=Peggy |last2=Higgins |first2=Wesley |title=Limodorum: An Old World Genus |journal=Orchids (www.aos.org) |date=September 2015 |page=535 |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/290816596}}