Chamorchis-alpina_12

Description:

Chamorchis alpina (L.) Rich, syn.: Chamaeorchis alpina, Chamorchis alpinusAlpine Chamorchis, False Musk Orchid, DE: Zwergstendel, Zwergorchis, ZwergknabenkrautSlo.: alpska cepetuljkaDat.: Aug. 02. 2014Lat.: 46.44168 Long.: 13.64384Code: Bot_821/2014_DSC2514Habitat: alpine grassland, open and almost flat terrain, shallow calcareous skeletal ground with some silicate, relatively dry and warm place, full sun, exposed to direct rain; average precipitations ~ 3.000 mm/year, average temperature 0-2 deg C, elevation 1.975 m (6.500 feet), alpine phytogeographical region.Substratum: soil.Place: Mt. Mangart's flats, east of the beginning of Mt. Mangart terminal road loop, East Julian Alps, Posoje, Slovenia EC.Comment: Chamorchis alpina is a rare, miniature and inconspicuous member of Orchids (Orchidaceae) family growing in Julian Alps. It is the single species of the genus Chamorchis. To recognize it is easy but it is much more difficult to find. In our region the plants are only 4 to 6 cm tall (at least I haven't seen much taller examples), while according to some sources they can grow up to 10(15) cm. They easily 'disappear' among other greenery of alpine vegetation. Consequently they are frequently overseen and this most probably contributes to their 'rarity' too . Nothing similar exists in the Alps. The only eventual candidate for confusion is another similar sized Orchid Coeloglossum viride, which has similar appearance and flowers from far and grows in the same habitats. However, leafs of both plants are totally different and when closely looked at all doubts disappear. Chamorchis alpina has long, narrow (never more than 3 mm broad), linear, grass-like ground leafs only, which are approximately of the same length or somewhat shorter as flowering stems while Coeloglossum viride has three to five stem leaves and they are much broader and ovate.Chamorchis alpina grows mostly in alpine elevations and climbs up to 2.700 m. It loves the harshest growing conditions on cold and wind swept mountain ridges, where the snow cover is blown off early in the season.Plants photographed were growing solitary and in groups of a few. More than ten plants were found in a relatively small plot of a few tens of square meters. Protected according to 'Uredba o zavarovanih prostoiveih rastlinskih vrstah'Ur.l. RS, t. 46/2004 (Regulation on protected wild plants, Official gazette of Republic of Slovenia, No. 46/2004). Enlisted in the Slovene Red List of rare and endangered species, marked by "V" representing a vulnerable species.Ref.:(1) M.A. Fischer, W. Adler, K. Oswald, Exkursionsflora sterreich Liechtenstein, Sdtirol, LO Landesmuseen, Linz, Austria (2005), p 1044.(2) A. Martini et all., Mala Flora Slovenije, Tehnina Zaloba Slovenije (2007) (in Slovene), p 773. (3) D. Aeschimann, K. Lauber, D.M. Moser, J.P. Theurillat, Flora Alpina, Vol. 2., Haupt (2004), p 1112.(4) K. Lauber and G. Wagner, Flora Helvetica, 5. Auflage, Haupt (2012), p 1310.(5) H. Baumann, S. Kuenkele, R. Lorenz, Orchideen Europas, Ulmer (2006), p 21.