Cephalanthera longifolia

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Cephalanthera longifolia
Cephalanthera longifolia seglea.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Orchidaceae
Subfamily: Epidendroideae
Genus: Cephalanthera
Species:
C. longifolia
Binomial name
Cephalanthera longifolia
(L.) Fritsch 1888
Synonyms [2]
Synonyms list
    • Serapias helleborine var. longifoliaL.
    • Cephalanthera ensifolia (Sw.) Rich.
    • Cephalanthera xiphophyllum Reichenb.
    • Epipactis ensifolia F.W. Schmidt
    • Epipactis longifolia (L.) All.
    • Serapias helleborine subsp. longifolia L.
    • Serapias longifolia(L.) L.
    • Serapias xiphophyllumEhrh. ex L.f.
    • Helleborine longifolia(L.) Moench
    • Epipactis grandiflora(L.) Sm.
    • Cymbidium xiphophyllum(Ehrh. ex L.f.) Sw.
    • Epipactis xiphophylla(Ehrh. ex L.f.) Sw.
    • Serapias pallidaWahlenb.
    • Cephalanthera pallensRich.
    • Serapias ensifolia(L.f.) Murray
    • Epipactis grandifoliaAll.
    • Cephalanthera acuminataWall. ex Lindl
    • Cephalanthera maravignaeTineo in G.Gussone
    • Cephalanthera thomsoniiRchb.f.
    • Cephalanthera angustifoliaSimonk.
    • Limodorum acuminatum(Wall. ex Lindl.) Kuntze
    • Cephalanthera maireiSchltr.
    • Cephalanthera conferta(B.Baumann & H.Baumann) Kreutz
    • Cephalanthera longifolia subsp. confertaB.Baumann & H.Baumann

Cephalanthera longifolia, the narrow-leaved helleborine, [3] sword-leaved helleborine or long-leaved helleborine, is a rhizomatous herbaceous perennial plant in the family Orchidaceae. It is native to light woodland, and widespread across Europe, Asia and North Africa from Ireland and Morocco to China. This includes the United Kingdom, Iran, Russia, Kazakhstan, Turkey, Algeria, India, Pakistan, Germany, Italy, France, Spain, Portugal and many other countries. [2] [4] [5]

Contents

Description

Cephalanthera longifolia reaches on average 20–60 centimetres (7.9–23.6 in) in height in typical conditions. This orchid has erect and glabrous multiple stems. The leaves are dark green, long and narrowly tapering (hence the common name "sword-leaved helleborine"). The inflorescence is a lax, 5-20 flowered spike with the bell-shaped flowers ascending in an oblique spiral. The flowers are white, about 1 cm (0.4 in) long, with a yellow-edged labellum and they usually open only during the warmest and brightest hours of the day. This plant can be found in bloom from April to June, depending on location and altitude. The fruit is a dry capsule and the dust-like seed is dispersed by the wind. [6]

One unusual characteristic of this species is that some individuals are achlorophyllous (lacking green pigment) and take all their nutrition from mycorrhizal fungi. [7]

Ecology

The flowers are pollinated by solitary burrowing bees. The flowers produce little nectar and the yellowish dust on the labellum which the insects collect is of little nutritional value. The actual pollen is contained in two pollinia which adhere to the hairs on the bee's back. [6]

An investigation in Estonia determined that the mycorrhizal partners of this orchid species include Thelephoraceae and Helotiales. [7] Another investigation indicated 9 mycorrhizal partners (still fewer than those recorded for Cephalanthera damasonium ): Bjerkandera adusta , Phlebia acerina , Sebacinaceae, Tetracladium sp., and Tomentella sp. [8]

Cephelanthera longifolia is vulnerable to grazing by deer. [9] [6]

Distribution

Cephalanthera longifolia is common in some parts of its European range, such as southern France and Spain, but endangered particularly in northern areas such as Belgium. In Britain and Ireland it is a quite uncommon and declining species, and conservation work is being carried out at a number of sites to safeguard it (see also Galley Down Wood). In 2007 it was listed as a priority species under the UK Biodiversity Action Plan. The charity Plantlife International is leading this work in the United Kingdom.

Habitat

Sword-leaved helleborine usually grows in damp woodland places (mainly oak and beech), forest edges and rocky slopes. [6] These plants prefer calcareous soils and in well exposed places, at an altitude of 0–1,400 metres (0–4,593 ft) above sea level.

This species was once abundant, when forests were used for grazing livestock and trees were coppiced, but is now threatened by overgrowth of larger plants. As the flower spikes are eaten by deer, the sword-leaved helleborine is also threatened by the increase of deer populations following extirpation of large predators like the wolf and brown bear in many parts of Europe. [6]

Etymology

The genus name Cephalanthera comes from the Greek κεφαλή kephalē (head) and ἄνθηρα anthēra (anther): the anther is placed at the top (head) of the column. [10] The Latin name longifolia means with long leaves .

"Helleborine" may refer to deer using the orchid for food (many conservationists have noted that helleborine orchids are grazed by deer [11] [12] [13] ). Alternatively it may denote that the plants are similar to hellebores (a group of species in the family Ranunculaceae). "Hellebore" comes from the Greek "álkē" and "bora", translating as "fawn" and "food of beasts". [14]

Related Research Articles

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<i>Anacamptis pyramidalis</i> Species of plant

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<i>Anacamptis morio</i> Species of plant

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<i>Orchis purpurea</i> Species of orchid

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<i>Cephalanthera rubra</i> Species of orchid

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Thelymitra, commonly known as sun orchids, is a genus of more than 100 species of plants in the orchid family, Orchidaceae. Unlike most other orchids, sun orchids lack a highly modified labellum and all three petals are similar in size, shape and colour. The column is, however, highly modified and usually has prominent wings or glands which are helpful in identifying the species. Most sun orchids close their flowers at night, in cloudy or cool weather, giving rise to their common name. The scientific name means "woman's hood" and refers to the hooded column present in most, but not all species. Most species are endemic to Australia although some are found as far from there as the Philippines and Indonesia. The type species, Thelymitra longifolia, the first to be formally described, was collected in New Zealand.

<i>Ophrys insectifera</i> Species of flowering plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae

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<i>Neottia nidus-avis</i> Species of orchid

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<i>Prasophyllum</i> Genus of flowering plants

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<i>Cephalanthera</i> Genus of orchids

Cephalanthera, abbreviated Ceph in horticultural trade, is a genus of mostly terrestrial orchids. Members of this genus have rhizomes rather than tubers. About 15 species are currently recognized, most of them native to Europe and Asia. The only species found in the wild in North America is Cephalanthera austiniae, the phantom orchid or snow orchid. Ecologically, this species is partially myco-heterotrophic. Some of the Eurasian species hybridise.

<i>Epipactis atrorubens</i> Species of orchid

Epipactis atrorubens, the dark-red helleborine or royal helleborine, is an herbaceous plant in the orchid family, Orchidaceae.

<i>Dactylorhiza maculata</i> Species of flowering plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae

Dactylorhiza maculata, known as the heath spotted-orchid or moorland spotted orchid, is an herbaceous perennial plant of the family Orchidaceae. It is widespread in mountainous regions across much of Europe from Portugal and Iceland east to Russia. It is also found in Algeria, Morocco, and western Siberia.

<i>Epipactis helleborine</i> Species of orchid

Epipactis helleborine, the broad-leaved helleborine, is a terrestrial species of orchid with a broad distribution. It is a long lived herb which varies morphologically with ability to self-pollinate.

<i>Epipactis palustris</i> Species of orchid

Epipactis palustris, the marsh helleborine, is a species of orchid native to Europe and Asia.

<i>Cephalanthera damasonium</i> Species of orchid

Cephalanthera damasonium, the white helleborine, is a species of orchid. It is widespread across much of Europe, the Middle East and Asia. Cephalanthera damasonium is the type species of the genus Cephalanthera.

<i>Epipactis dunensis</i> Species of orchid

Epipactis dunensis, commonly known as dune helleborine, is a species of plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae and is endemic to Great Britain and Ireland. It typically grows to a height of 20–50 cm (7.9–19.7 in) and the upper half of the flowering stalk is hairy. The plant has a long, fleshy rootstock and three to ten yellowish green, oval to lance-shaped leaves arranged in opposite rows along the flowering stem with up to 35 flowers. The three sepals are greenish, the two petals paler, the lower part of the labellum is boat-shaped and dark, chocolate brown with a transparent, whitish rim and the epichile is heart-shaped with a pointed tip. Flowering occurs from late June to mid-August, the flowers are mainly self-pollinated, and the fruit is a capsule, from which light, microscopic seeds are spread by the wind.

<i>Cephalanthera erecta</i> Species of flowering plant

Cephalanthera erecta, the erect cephalanthera, is a species of terrestrial orchid. It is found in China, Japan, Korea, Kuril Islands, Bhutan, Assam and eastern Himalayas.

References

  1. Rankou, H. (2010). "Cephalanthera longifolia". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2010: e.T176001A7167753. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
  2. 1 2 Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
  3. BSBI List 2007 (xls). Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland. Archived from the original (xls) on 2015-06-26. Retrieved 2014-10-17.
  4. Flora of China, v 25 p 177, 头蕊兰 tou rui lan, Cephalanthera longifolia
  5. Altervista Flora Italiana, Cefalantera maggiore, Narrow Leaved Helleborine, Cephalanthera longifolia
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 "Narrow-leaved Helleborine: Cephalanthera longifolia". NatureGate. Retrieved 2013-12-30.
  7. 1 2 Canadian Journal of Botany - Cephalanthera longifolia is mixotrophic
  8. Pecoraro, Lorenzo; Huang, Laiqiang; Caruso, Tancredi; Perotto, Silvia; Girlanda, Mariangela; Cai, Lei; Liu, Zhong-Jian (2017). "Fungal diversity and specificity in Cephalanthera damasonium and C. Longifolia (Orchidaceae) mycorrhizas". Journal of Systematics and Evolution. 55 (2): 158–169. doi:10.1111/jse.12238.
  9. Woodland Wildlife Toolkit - Narrow-leaved helleborine
  10. Gilbert-Carter, H. (1955). Glossary of the British Flora. Cambridge University Press. p. 19. OCLC   867791719.
  11. Plantlife - Epipactis youngiana
  12. "Wildflower Society Online Report". Archived from the original on 2018-12-06. Retrieved 2018-12-06.
  13. Finnish Orchids
  14. Dictionary.com