Cephalanthera rubra

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Cephalanthera rubra
Cephalanthera rubra catena-rangeval 55 170602 2.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. rubra
Binomial name
Cephalanthera rubra
(L.) Rich. 1817
Synonyms [1]
  • Serapias rubraL.
  • Epipactis rubra(L.) F.W.Schmidt
  • Cymbidium rubrum(L.) Sw.
  • Helleborine rubra(L.) Schrank
  • Dorycheile rubra(L.) Fuss
  • Limodorum rubrum(L.) Kuntze
  • Epipactis purpureaCrantz
  • Cephalanthera comosaTineo in G.Gussone

Cephalanthera rubra, known as red helleborine, [2] is an orchid found in Europe, North Africa and southwest Asia. Although reasonably common in parts of its range, this Cephalanthera has always been one of the rarest orchids in Britain.

Contents

Description

Each flowering shoot reaches 20–70 cm height. The shoots grow from a creeping rhizome. The stem is smooth at the base and densely covered with short glandular hairs higher up. The shoots have between 2 and 8 lanceolate leaves which range in size from 5 to 14 cm long and from 1 to 3 cm wide. Each shoot may carry up to 20 flowers, which may be pink to red or rarely white. They are up to 5 cm wide. The petals are curved and lanceolate. Flowers are produced from May to July. [3] It is known to sometimes go many years without flowering. Chromosomes 2n=36

Not to be confused with Epipactis atrorubens (dark red helleborine).

Close up image of the flower. Cephalanthera rubra flower 150604.jpg
Close up image of the flower.

Distribution and habitat

The red helleborine is found throughout most of Europe, east to the Urals and as far as 60 degrees north. It is however rare in Britain, the Low Countries and western France. It also occurs in Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia and in various parts of southern Asia as far east as Iran. [4] [1] [5]

Found in light, dry forest, particularly among beech trees, pines and spruces. grows to an altitude of 2,600 m (8,500 ft), especially on calcareous soils with a pH between 5.9–8.2. Flower colour is an indicator of the soil qualities, with darker blooms on more calcareous ground.

Red helleborine is a very rare plant in Britain. It is found only at the following sites:

During the 19th and early 20th centuries, the species was recorded from single sites in Somerset, Sussex and Kent, and a second Hampshire site (in the upper Test Valley). The species was also recorded at additional Gloucestershire sites (including Stanley Wood, King's Stanley, now a Woodland Trust woodland), and persisted at some of these into the 1970s. It became a protected species in the UK in 1975 under the Conservation of Wild Creatures and Wild Plants Act. [11]

Ecology

Cephalanthera rubra is thought to be mainly pollinated by flies, although often self-pollination is triggered by rainfall. [12] Pollination may also be carried out by Chelostoma bee ( Chelostoma campanularum ?) and the weevil Miarus campanulae , both of which are thought to mistake the flowers for Campanula persicifolia , a wildflower found on mountains in continental Europe. It is theorised that C. rubra mimics C. persicifolia to increase pollination early in the year. [12]

As the flowers are frequently visited by flies, crab spiders have been observed hunting in them. [12]

C. rubra forms a mycorrhizal relationship with species in the genera Leptodontidium , Phialophora and Tomentella . This enables it to access soil nutrients which would otherwise be unavailable. [13]

Etymology

Cephalanthera comes from the Greek κεφαλή ανθηρός, meaning "head flowering", thought to be a reference to the protruding position of the anthers. The species epithet rubra comes from the Latin for red, referring to the colour of the flowers. The Latin binomial was chosen by a French botanist named Professor Louis Claude Marie Richard.

"Helleborine" may refer to deer using the orchid for food (many conservationists have noted that helleborine orchids are grazed by deer [14] [15] [16] ). 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". [17]

In German, Cephalanthera are referred to as Waldvöglein, meaning little birds of the wood, a reference to the winged appearance of the flowers.

Monitoring

The protection of red helleborine should aim to preserve specific forest biotopes for this species. During monitoring of this species, the number of shoots (vegetative and generative), leaf area and number of fruits are recorded. It is recommended to collect metrological data (sum of precipitation and air temperature), as well as data on shading, vegetation at the site, the presence of bells (Campanula sp.) in the vicinity and the abundance of dead wood. [18]

Related Research Articles

<i>Epipactis</i> Genus of orchids

Epipactis, or helleborine, is a genus of terrestrial orchids consisting of approximately 70 species. This genus is abbreviated as Epcts in horticultural trade.

<i>Campanula americana</i> Species of flowering plant in the bellflower family Campanulaceae

Campanula americana, the American bellflower, or tall bellflower, is a bellflower native to eastern North America. Tall bellflowers can be annual or biennial with a varying life-history with seeds germinating in the fall producing annual plants and spring-germinating seeds producing biennial plants. Long-tongued bees are the primary pollinators, including Megachile campanulae, but halictid bees, butterflies, and skippers may also act as pollinators. Tall Bellflowers do not generally self-pollinate. Some authorities, including the USDA PLANTS database, consider the name Campanulastrum americanum to be the accepted name for this species.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Workmans Wood, Sheepscombe</span>

Workmans Wood is a wood just to the east of the village of Sheepscombe, in the Cotswolds, Gloucestershire. It is a biological Site of Special Scientific Interest being part of the Cotswold Commons And Beechwoods SSSI. The Wood is part of a designated national nature reserve (NNR).

Hawkley Warren is a woodland on the northeast-facing Wealden Edge, near the village of Hawkley, three miles north of Petersfield in Hampshire. The site is situated in a deep chalk combe.

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

Ophrys insectifera, the fly orchid, is a species of orchid and the type species of the genus Ophrys. It is remarkable as an example of the use of sexually deceptive pollination and floral mimicry, as well as a highly selective and highly evolved plant–pollinator relationship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Windsor Hill</span> Biological Site

Windsor Hill is a 61.8-hectare (153-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Princes Risborough in Buckinghamshire. It lies within the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and it is featured in the Nature Conservation Review. A small part is managed by the Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust, and access to this area requires a permit.

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

Cephalanthera longifolia, the narrow-leaved helleborine, 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.

<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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Postlebury Wood</span>

Postlebury Wood is an 87 hectare biological Site of Special Scientific Interest south of Trudoxhill in Somerset, notified in 1987.

<i>Campanula persicifolia</i> Species of flowering plant

Campanula persicifolia, the peach-leaved bellflower, is a flowering plant species in the family Campanulaceae. It is an herbaceous perennial growing to 1 m. Its flowers are cup-shaped and can be either lilac-blue or white. Its foliage is narrow and glossy with a bright green appearance.

<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>Epipactis phyllanthes</i> Species of orchid

Epipactis phyllanthes, the green-flowered helleborine, is an orchid found in the western Palearctic realm.

<i>Campanula rapunculus</i> Species of flowering plant

Campanula rapunculus, common name rampion bellflower, rampion, rover bellflower, or rapunzel, is a species of bellflower (Campanula) in the family Campanulaceae.

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

Epipactis gigantea is a species of orchid known as the stream orchid, giant helleborine, and chatterbox. This wildflower is native to western North America from British Columbia to central Mexico. This is one of the most abundant orchids of the Pacific coast of North America.

<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>Cypripedium calceolus</i> Species of orchid

Cypripedium calceolus is a lady's-slipper orchid, and the type species of the genus Cypripedium. It is native to Europe and Asia.

<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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flora of the Vosges massif</span> Flora of the mountains of eastern France

The flora of the Vosges massif is distributed across three principal altitudinal zones, namely the collinean, montane, and subalpine levels. The collinean zone extends up to approximately 500 meters in altitude. The montane zone is between 500 and 1,000 meters, with the subalpine zone extending beyond that. The latter's highest point is the Grand Ballon, which reaches 1,424 meters. The diverse environmental conditions, including altitude, climate, topography, and soil types, contribute to the formation of heterogeneous vegetation. The north-south orientation of the mountain range results in a marked contrast between the eastern and western slopes. The western slopes receive abundant precipitation from westerly winds, while the eastern slopes and peaks experience drier conditions.

References

  1. 1 2 Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
  2. ↑ BSBI List 2007 (xls). Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland. Archived from the original (xls) on 2015-06-26. Retrieved 2014-10-17.
  3. ↑ First Nature - Cephalanthera rubra
  4. ↑ Harrap, Anne and Simon (2005). Orchids of Britain and Ireland: a Field and Site Guide. A&C Black. pp. 134–40. ISBN   0-7136-6956-X.
  5. ↑ Altervista Flora Italiana, Cefalantera rossa, Red Helleborine, Cephalanthera rubra
  6. 1 2 3 Species distribution map for Cephalanthera rubra Archived 2016-11-04 at the Wayback Machine , NBN Gateway, retrieved 25 February 2010
  7. ↑ Kitchen, Clare, Mark A. R. Kitchen and Ian Carle (2008) Stephen Bishop's New Flora of Gloucestershire Part 2: the distribution maps The Gloucestershire Naturalist No. 14 Gloucestershire Naturalists ' Society, page 232
  8. ↑ Fisher, John (1991) A colour guide to rare wild flowers ISBN   0-09-470780-4 Constable books, London
  9. ↑ Rose, F. and A. Brewis (1988) Short notes: Cephalanthera rubra in Hampshire Archived July 26, 2011, at the Wayback Machine Watsonia 17: 176-77
  10. ↑ Ratcliffe, D. A. (1977) A Nature Conservation Review Volume 2. Site Accounts p. 53 ISBN   0-521-21403-3
  11. ↑ "Caithness CWS - Caithness Field Club - Annual Bulletins - 1975 - October - Conservation".
  12. 1 2 3 Beobachtung von Miarus campanulae als Bestäuber von Cephalanthera rubra
  13. ↑ Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Changing Partners in the Dark: Isotopic and Molecular Evidence of Ectomycorrhizal Liaisons between Forest Orchids and Trees
  14. ↑ Plantlife - Epipactis youngiana
  15. ↑ "Wildflower Society Online Report". Archived from the original on 2018-12-06. Retrieved 2018-12-06.
  16. ↑ Finnish Orchids
  17. ↑ Dictionary.com
  18. ↑ Lewoń, Radoslaw; Romanski, Maciej (November 2023). "New locations, distribution and protection of the red helleborine Cephalanthera rubra (L.) Rich. (Orchidaceae) in the Augustów Primeval Forest (NE Poland)". Leśne Prace Badawcze (Forest Research Papers) (in Polish). 83: 46–50. doi:10.48538/lpb-2023-0004 . Retrieved 20 October 2024.
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