Dactylorhiza maculata
Heath Spotted Orchid ( Dactylorhiza maculata )
The Spotted Orchid ( Dactylorhiza maculata ), also called Patch fingerroot, a species of the orchid family ( Orchidaceae). In the literature there is widespread disagreement about the definition of very similar type spotted orchid ( Dactylorhiza fuchsii ).
Description
The spotted orchid is a perennial Geophyt, survives with the help of its tuberous root of the winter. The plant also needs to survive special root fungi ( mycorrhiza endotrophic ), with which it feeds mainly at the juvenile stage. Dusted it is supported by numerous insect species, mainly through two or Hymenoptera and beetles. In particular, bees visiting the flowers, however, though, they can not pollinate. The spread of the capsule fruit is carried out independently ( Autochorie ). By axillary buds innovation, the plant can also increase sprossbürtig.
The spotted orchid is recognized by its lanceolate to linealischen leaves that are about 0.7 to 1.5 cm wide and pointed toe. On the upper leaf surface, they have characteristic, usually round patches that can rarely missing. There are usually 6 to 10 leaves, of the transition leaves, there are often also 1-3 pieces. Such are among the foliage leaves and the aged men inflorescence and be no wider than 3 mm. The plant grows up to 60 cm tall and blooms from May to August. Your pithy stem is not hollow and therefore not compressible. The flowers are pink to violet, they have frequent, smaller shares white. Experience in their development, a special 180-degree rotation, which is induced by gravity. In Bloom is a 0.8 to 1.6 mm thick spur that is about the same as the ovary. The lateral outer tepals are inclined outwards. The weak three-lobed lip is relatively wide, her middle lobe is not preferred and less than the broad and rounded, often somewhat toothed side tabs. The pollen is summarized in two equipped with viscid pollen packets ( the pollinia). After flowering, fruit capsules are formed, containing about 6000 seeds. The type has as many orchids on a wide variation of features so that the reliable determination, especially from photos is difficult. Difficulties also prepare herbarium specimens, because important features such as the stains disappear on the sheets when drying.
Occurrence and Protection
The spotted orchid occurs on moist nutrient-poor grasslands in damp low or source bogs and in open woods. The species is lime-intolerant and preferably slightly acidic sites. The distribution in Germany is currently insufficiently known as the spotted orchid is often confused with other species of the genus, particularly the spotted orchid and can hardly be distinguished from it. It is likely, however, that the spotted orchid is common only in northern Germany. But confusion in the taxonomy changing also lead to other statements, so it is in Poland as one of the more common orchids. A review in Lithuanian herbaria has revealed that 68% of the documents listed as Dactylorhiza maculata are incorrectly determined at present. The species is protected specifically under the BArtSchV. Outside Europe, comes the kind not before.
Subspecies
In Germany, meanwhile only two subspecies are described:
- Ordinary spotted orchid ( Dactylorhiza maculata subsp. Maculata ). It is about 20 to 60 cm tall and has a maximum of 10 sheets that can be shaped to broad lanceolate oblong, are pointed toe, protruding upright, are spotted on the upper side dark. The upper leaves are cup- or leaf -like design contract (so-called transitional leaves). The cylindrically long eared inflorescence is relatively dense and many flowered. However, the bracts shorter than the flowers which usually bright, whitish pink to bright colored pink. Your short three-lobed lip has a strong loop drawing and a small middle lobe, which is about 9 to 13 mm wide.
- Marsh orchid ( Dactylorhiza maculata subsp. Elodes ) is only 10 to 35 cm tall and usually has 3-5 linealische, upright and often unspotted, narrow - lanceolate leaves. The inflorescence can be quite short. The flowers lip acts, due to the very short spur somewhat greater than in the subspecies maculata. The loop drawing is full of contrasts, but even more resolved in dots and dashes. The flower spur is more than half as long as the ovary. D. maculata subsp. elodes was originally described as Orchis elodes from the North-West Germany. The bog - orchid occurs in wet, torfmoosreichen moorlands and is known for sure in the typical expression only from Germany and the Netherlands.
Under taxonomists there is disagreement as to whether spotted orchid is a separate species or just a subspecies or even only variety of the boys spotted herb. Some floras lead this clan accordingly as part of Dactylorhiza maculata see Latin on.