Dark Red Helleborine
Encyclopedia
The Dark Red Helleborine or Royal Helleborine (Epipactis atrorubens) is an herbaceous plant from the family Orchidaceae
.
The plant is hardy and has a short rootstalk, often with multiple, fleshy roots. It blooms from June to August with erect, mostly purple inflorescence
s with dense hair on the tops, standing between 20 and 80 cm in height. The blossoms emit a strong vanilla
scent, especially in warm weather. The flowers sometimes vary in color, but are in general reddish-brown, and they are often pollenized by insects
, particularly bees. The fruit is a capsule
, out of which the light, dustlike seeds are spread by the wind. A number of natural hybrids with other Epipactis
species are known.
The Dark Red Helleborine is widespread across Europe
, and is found in the north to the subarctic
, in the south to the meridional zone, and in the east to Central Siberia
and the Caucasus
. The orchid grows at altitude
s from sea level
to 2400 m, and so can be found in mountainous regions such as the southern Alps
. In Central Europe
is the plant, like all orchid species, in decline in recent decades. It is not, however, one of the severely threatened species
of orchid.
The Dark Red Helleborine favors warm and dry locations, with soil basic to neutral in pH
, nutrient-poor, and permeable. It grows in loose rock, scree, or sandy soils above a limestone
substrate, including dunes, lawns, or open forest. It is also a pioneer species
, which settles in fallow areas, road embankments, and waste dumps, in the early to middle stages of ecological succession
, among communities of grass and bush and light birch
stands. Along with many other species of orchids, it is protected in some countries.
Plantlife
designated the Dark Red Helleborine as the county flower for Banffshire
, Scotland
.
Orchidaceae
The Orchidaceae, commonly referred to as the orchid family, is a morphologically diverse and widespread family of monocots in the order Asparagales. Along with the Asteraceae, it is one of the two largest families of flowering plants, with between 21,950 and 26,049 currently accepted species,...
.
Inflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
s with dense hair on the tops, standing between 20 and 80 cm in height. The blossoms emit a strong vanilla
Vanilla
Vanilla is a flavoring derived from orchids of the genus Vanilla, primarily from the Mexican species, Flat-leaved Vanilla . The word vanilla derives from the Spanish word "", little pod...
scent, especially in warm weather. The flowers sometimes vary in color, but are in general reddish-brown, and they are often pollenized by insects
Entomophily
Entomophily is a form of pollination whereby pollen is distributed by insects. Several insect are reported to be responsible for the pollination of many plant species, particularly bees, Lepidoptera , wasps, flies, ants and beetles. Some plant species co-evolved with a particular pollinator, such...
, particularly bees. The fruit is a capsule
Capsule (fruit)
In botany a capsule is a type of simple, dry fruit produced by many species of flowering plants. A capsule is a structure composed of two or more carpels that in most cases is dehiscent, i.e. at maturity, it splits apart to release the seeds within. A few capsules are indehiscent, for example...
, out of which the light, dustlike seeds are spread by the wind. A number of natural hybrids with other Epipactis
Epipactis
Epipactis, or Helleborine, is a genus of terrestrial orchids consisting of approximately 70 species. This genus is abbreviated as Epcts in horticultural trade.They occur in temperate and subtropical climates of America, Asia, and Europe...
species are known.
The Dark Red Helleborine is widespread across Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, and is found in the north to the subarctic
Subarctic
The Subarctic is a region in the Northern Hemisphere immediately south of the true Arctic and covering much of Alaska, Canada, the north of Scandinavia, Siberia, and northern Mongolia...
, in the south to the meridional zone, and in the east to Central Siberia
Siberia
Siberia is an extensive region constituting almost all of Northern Asia. Comprising the central and eastern portion of the Russian Federation, it was part of the Soviet Union from its beginning, as its predecessor states, the Tsardom of Russia and the Russian Empire, conquered it during the 16th...
and the Caucasus
Caucasus
The Caucasus, also Caucas or Caucasia , is a geopolitical region at the border of Europe and Asia, and situated between the Black and the Caspian sea...
. The orchid grows at altitude
Altitude
Altitude or height is defined based on the context in which it is used . As a general definition, altitude is a distance measurement, usually in the vertical or "up" direction, between a reference datum and a point or object. The reference datum also often varies according to the context...
s from sea level
Sea level
Mean sea level is a measure of the average height of the ocean's surface ; used as a standard in reckoning land elevation...
to 2400 m, and so can be found in mountainous regions such as the southern Alps
Alps
The Alps is one of the great mountain range systems of Europe, stretching from Austria and Slovenia in the east through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany to France in the west....
. In Central Europe
Central Europe
Central Europe or alternatively Middle Europe is a region of the European continent lying between the variously defined areas of Eastern and Western Europe...
is the plant, like all orchid species, in decline in recent decades. It is not, however, one of the severely threatened species
Threatened species
Threatened species are any speciesg animals, plants, fungi, etc.) which are vulnerable to endangerment in the near future.The World Conservation Union is the foremost authority on threatened species, and treats threatened species not as a single category, but as a group of three categories,...
of orchid.
The Dark Red Helleborine favors warm and dry locations, with soil basic to neutral in pH
PH
In chemistry, pH is a measure of the acidity or basicity of an aqueous solution. Pure water is said to be neutral, with a pH close to 7.0 at . Solutions with a pH less than 7 are said to be acidic and solutions with a pH greater than 7 are basic or alkaline...
, nutrient-poor, and permeable. It grows in loose rock, scree, or sandy soils above a limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
substrate, including dunes, lawns, or open forest. It is also a pioneer species
Pioneer species
Pioneer species are species which colonize previously uncolonized land, usually leading to ecological succession. They are the first organisms to start the chain of events leading to a livable biosphere or ecosystem...
, which settles in fallow areas, road embankments, and waste dumps, in the early to middle stages of ecological succession
Ecological succession
Ecological succession, is the phenomenon or process by which a community progressively transforms itself until a stable community is formed. It is a fundamental concept in ecology, and refers to more or less predictable and orderly changes in the composition or structure of an ecological community...
, among communities of grass and bush and light birch
Birch
Birch is a tree or shrub of the genus Betula , in the family Betulaceae, closely related to the beech/oak family, Fagaceae. The Betula genus contains 30–60 known taxa...
stands. Along with many other species of orchids, it is protected in some countries.
Plantlife
Plantlife is a wild plant conservation charity. As of 2007, its membership was 10,500 and it owned 23 nature reserves around the UK.-History:It was founded in 1989 with its first President being Professor David Bellamy. By 1999 it had 22 nature reserves....
designated the Dark Red Helleborine as the county flower for Banffshire
Banffshire
The County of Banff is a registration county for property, and Banffshire is a Lieutenancy area of Scotland.The County of Banff, also known as Banffshire, was a local government county of Scotland with its own county council between 1890 and 1975. The county town was Banff although the largest...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
.
- Notice: "Epipactis atrorubens Rostk. ex Spreng., Syst. Veg. 3: 707 (1826), nom. illeg." is a synonym of Epipactis microphyllaEpipactis microphyllaSmall-leaved Helleborine ) is a species of orchid.- External links :*...
.