Biology
provided by Arkive
This perennial orchid may live for more than twenty years, but most plants flower irregularly and many only flower once (7) (10). It begins to flower from late May to early July (6) (7). The pollinating insects for this species have yet to be identified, although the wall mason wasp Odyneris parietum and solitary bees such as Megachile maritima in England and Colletes cunicularis in France have been seen with lizard orchid pollinia attached to them (7).
It can take years for a plant to reach the flowering stage (7) (10). Orchid seeds are tiny, dust-like particles and the lizard orchid has been estimated to produce from 0 to 1200 seeds per pod and up to 50 pods per flower spike (7) (10). The seeds do not contain sufficient reserves to allow them to germinate and like many orchids form an association with a mycorrhizal fungus, which supplies the nutrients needed to power germination and the early stages of growth (7) (11).
Leaves are winter-green in colour and are present from late August to October (depending on rainfall) to June, withering before or immediately after flowering. Non-flowering plants die back earlier in April or May. Except for fruiting spikes the plants persist for the summer as underground tubers (6) (7).
Conservation
provided by Arkive
As this species is fully protected under Schedule 8 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act (1981), it is illegal to pick, uproot or destroy plants, and to sell any part of the plant, living or dead (14).
Description
provided by Arkive
This tall orchid carries up to 150 greenish-purple flowers on the flower spike (5) (6) (7). The common name refers to the flowers, which are said to look like lizards, with a long twisting tail and two 'legs' formed from the lips, and the petals and sepals forming the 'head' (5). The leaves are dull green in colour and often wither before the flowers open (7). The scientific name Himantoglossum derives from the Greek for 'strap-tongue' and hircinum is Latin for 'goat-like', this refers to the strong, foul smell of the flowers. In most other European languages it is known as '(Billy or male) goat orchid' (7).
Habitat
provided by Arkive
Typical habitats are grassland, ancient earthworks, scrub, open woodland, road, track and path sides, quarries, railway banks and calcareous sands (six of the current populations in these habitats are on golf courses). It has also occurred under a hedge in a garden in Sussex, on a grass mound in a Mortello tower, on a retaining wall of a river and in a wood. Many of the sites are small, undisturbed patches rather than large open grasslands (6) (7) (8).
Range
provided by Arkive
This species is rare in the UK, and found locally in south east England (7) (8) (9). It was an extremely rare plant in England until the 1920s and was restricted to a handful of sites in Kent, but extended its range between 1920 and 1935 to a maximum of 35 sites, possibly because of warm weather (2) (8). The plant declined rapidly from the mid-1930s so that there were only 10 or 11 sites until the end of the 1980s. Between 1988 and 2001 the number of flowering plants in England expanded from approximately 1000 to over 6000 and the number of populations rose to 18 (7) (8), probably due to weather conditions that were suitable for seed production (10). Elsewhere, this orchid occurs in southern and western Europe (7).
Status
provided by Arkive
Nationally Rare in Great Britain and Vulnerable in Europe (3). Fully protected under Schedule 8 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (4).
Threats
provided by Arkive
The main threat facing this species is loss of calcareous grassland through agricultural intensification. The species is at the northern extreme of its range in the UK, and is probably restricted by cool summer temperatures (8) (11), and is predicted to spread with a warming climate (8) (12) (13). Collecting has affected this species but is no longer a threat (7) (8).
Associations
provided by BioImages, the virtual fieldguide, UK
Plant / pollenated
adult of Apoidea pollenates or fertilises flower of Himantoglossum hircinum
Remarks: Other: uncertain
Other: major host/prey
Plant / resting place / within
puparium of Chyliza vittata may be found in live stem (usu just above rootstock) of Himantoglossum hircinum
Himantoglossum hircinum
provided by wikipedia EN
Himantoglossum hircinum, the lizard orchid, is a species of orchid in the genus Himantoglossum found in Europe and North Africa.
Description
Himantoglossum hircinum is a perennial herbaceous plant, reaching a height of 115 centimetres (45 in). It persists in the soil as a pair of ovoid/subglobose tubers, with short roots. Its leaves are 5-20cm long, with basal leaves larger than aerial leaves and the plant is glabrous. Flowers are green-white with a long twisting/coiled labellum which may be tinged with a variety of colours; white, green, purple or brown. Flowers strongly smell of male goats.[1]
A similar looking species called Himantoglossum adriaticum is found in Eastern Europe.
Habitat and distribution
This orchid grows in dry meadows, rocky areas, and open woods. It tends to grow on south-facing grassy slopes, among Bromus and Brachypodium grasses.[2] In France it is often found on roadsides. In the United Kingdom it grows to a maximum altitude of 850m.[3]
This species is found across Europe, from Spain eastwards to the Balkans and in western North Africa. It is usually rare but can sometimes be found in great numbers in suitable habitats. Examples of sites for this species include among sand dunes at Sandwich Bay in the United Kingdom, Massif Central in France and the Mugello Valley in Italy.[4]
Ecology
Himantoglossum hircinum is a food-deceptive orchid species, meaning the flowers generally provide no nectar to their pollinators.[5] The Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland states however that some plants have been found to provide nectar to pollinators, and that it remains unclear which species are the principal pollinators of the lizard orchid, although they suggest Andrena bees.[6]
It has been suggested that H. hircinum is a mycorrhizal generalist, though some have questioned this, due to the species' limited distribution, and the issue remains unresolved.[7]
Chemistry
Orchinol, loroglossol and hircinol are phenanthrenoids that can be isolated from infected Loroglossum hircinum.[8]
Conservation
This is a rare species with protected status in the United Kingdom and Germany and possibly other countries.[9]
Etymology
The 'lizard' in the plant's English common-name refers to the shape and colour of the flowers. The Latin genus Himantoglossum means 'strap-tongue', after the shape of the flower labellum and the species epithet 'hircinum' means 'of goats', after the smell the flowers produce.[10] In German the plant is known as 'Bocks Riemenzunge', which translates as 'buck's (ie. goat's) strap-tongue'. The French name 'l'orchis bouc' means 'buck (ie. goat) orchid'.
References
-
^ Journal of Ecology - Himantoglossum hircinum
-
^ Journal of Ecology - Himantoglossum hircinum
-
^ Journal of Ecology - Himantoglossum hircinum
-
^ Sandwich Bay and Hacklinge Marshes SSSI citation
-
^ New Zealand Journal of Botany - Himantoglossum hircinum (lizard orchid) reviewed in the light of new morphological and molecular observations
-
^ BSBI Species Accounts - Himantoglossum hircinum
-
^ New Journal of Botany - Morphometric, molecular, ontogenetic and demographic observations on selected populations of the Lizard Orchid, Himantoglossum hircinum
-
^ Structure of Orchinol, Loroglossol, and Hircinol. Roy M. Letcher and Llewellyn R. M. Nhamo, J. Chem. Soc., Perkin Trans. 1, 1973, pages 1263-1265, doi:10.1039/P19730001263
-
^ BSBI Species Accounts - Himantoglossum hircinum
-
^ Orchids of Britain and Ireland: A Field and Site Guide - Genus Himantoglossum
- license
- cc-by-sa-3.0
- copyright
- Wikipedia authors and editors
Himantoglossum hircinum: Brief Summary
provided by wikipedia EN
Himantoglossum hircinum, the lizard orchid, is a species of orchid in the genus Himantoglossum found in Europe and North Africa.
- license
- cc-by-sa-3.0
- copyright
- Wikipedia authors and editors
