Orchis anatolica
Orchis galilaea
Orchis papilionacea
Orchis sancta
Orchis tridentata
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Class Monocotyledoneae, monocots, מחלקה חד-פסיגיים Family Orchidaceae, Orchid Family, משפחה סחלביים The biggest family of flowering plants; monocot flowers, bisexual, irregular, 3 sepals (green or colored like petals), 3 petals (lower petal is often modified into a sort of sack or spur), 1 or 2 stamens combined with the pistil into a column; the unique ovary is positioned inferior and consists of 3 united carpels; fruit, 3-valved capsule with numerous seeds. Some orchids mimic female wasps to con male bees into pollinating them. Mimicry is when an animal or plant resembles another creature or inanimate object, either for defence or to gain other advantages. The flowers of orchids often look like the females of certain species of insects and attract the males of these species (at a time when there are no or few females), who are the orchids’ only pollinators. Bee Orchids(genus Ophrys) trick their bee pollinators into thinking that they are real bees. Their flower looks, feels, and even has a scent like that of a female bee. The male bee tries to mate with it and in the process, gets covered in pollen. There are nine species of bee orchids growing in the Mediterranean parts of Israel and each one has its own specific pollinator.
31 species of Orchids belonging to 11 genera are known in Israel, all protected plants. Genus Epipactis, בן-חרש Genus Cephalanthera, סחלבן Genus Limodorum, שנק Genus Platanthera, מירונית Genus Neotinea, ניאוטיניאה Genus Orchis, סחלב:
Genus Anacamptis, בן-סחלב Genus Serapias, שפתן: Genus Ophrys, דבורנית:
 Serapias vomeracea  Ophrys flavomarginata  Ophrys umbilicata |
