This was first described by Lindley from Tenerife in 1835 and its name reflects its identification with the
Canary Islands - it is in fact endemic to these islands although absent from Lanzarote and Fuertaventura .
The Canaries although not rich in orchid varieties have fostered the isolated development of plants which although originally with a wider distribution, have subsequently been recognized as species in their own right. Their are two orchids in particular which have evolved in this way - firstly the Tenerife Giant orchid, H. metlesicsianum which exists on Tenerife only and secondly this species, O. canariensis commonly
known as the Canary Island Orchid which can be found more widely.
These islands (and Tenerife in particular) are a harsh environment for even the toughest of plants to make
a home and yet O. canariensis is to be found on the more stabilised, acidic lava rubble on the lower flanks
of Mount Tiede and also in similar environments on other islands. It occurs at altitudes of up to approx 1500 metres but rarely descends to levels below 750 metres and is not a common Orchis anywhere.
There is however little danger of misidentification due to the fact that there are no similar orchids with
which to confuse it. As can be seen from the photograph's, O. canariensis grows in association with several
species of succulent and this produces a strangely incongruous picture.
The illustrations come from the Masca region of the island of Tenerife and date from the last week of January at which time they had just started flowering. By this time Habenaria Tridactylites which grows
close by, was well past its best.
