Dactylorhiza majalis

Marsh Orchid ( Dactylorhiza majalis )

The Broad-leaved Marsh Orchid ( Dactylorhiza majalis ), also called broad-leaved fingerroot, is even occasionally, frequently found on unfertilized wet meadows orchid. The genus name comes from the Dactylorhiza finger-like tubers (from Greek δάκτυλος dactylos = finger and ρίζα rhiza root ). The Style epithet majalis has the flower month of May through (from the Latin = maialis on May related).

6.1 varieties and hybrids
6.2 Synonyms

Description

There are perennial herbaceous plants, the plant height of 15 to 40 cm, strong plants from 60 cm to reach. The three to eight dark spotted leaves are distributed on the stem. The lower leaves are ovate to ovate - lanceolate with a length of 6 to 18 cm and a width of 1.5 to 3.5 cm. The upper leaves are becoming smaller and more lanceolate. The bracts are about as long as the flower, cover it before flowering.

The 4 to 15 cm long, dichtblütige inflorescence is initially conical, in the blossoming condition significantly cylindrical and contains 7 to 40 flowers. The flowers are purple, rarely brightly colored pink or white. The lateral bracts of the outer circle of the perigone are inclined or vertically upward. They are 7 to 12 mm long and 2.5 to 5 mm wide. The mean Blütenhüllblatt is smaller and, together with the two lateral bloom cladding of the inner circle a " helmet". These are 6 to 11 mm long. Trilobal the lip is 5 to 10 mm long and 7-14 mm wide. The lip shape and lip patterns are variable. In the brighter central region of the lip, the drawing of lines, dashes or dots is composed. The spur is slightly bent downward and nearly as long as the ovary.

The flowering period begins at lower altitudes in early May and ends at higher elevations in late July. The lowest flowers open mostly even before the stem has reached its final height. The tuber is flat and three-piece - palmate.

Ecology

The Broad-leaved herb is a tuber Geophyt.

The flowers are " lip flowers from Orchis - type". The flowers are rotated by rotation of the ovary by 180 degrees. This process is triggered by the force of gravity. The lip spur has no nectar, but is " anbohrbaren " with a sugar-rich tissue equipped. The pollen is found in 2 pedunculated and provided with viscid pollinia. This is an adaptation because the ovary has many ovules, as many of them are to be fertilized. Pollinators are mostly bees that after 30 seconds, transfer the adhesive at their head, forward prone pollinium on the sticky stigma of another flower. Bloom time is from May to July. The fruits are capsules with hygroscopic lockable longitudinal gaps that release seeds only in dry weather. Each fruit contains about 6,000 tiny seeds with a seedling of only a few cells. The seeds have endosperm instead of a cavity of air. You can thus spread than typical grains flyer. Your sink rate is 25 cm / s, which allows a flight distance of 10 km. Fruit ripening in September. Seed germination is only in the presence of a specific fungus possible ( endotrophic mycorrhiza ). Vegetative reproduction occurs by basal leaf buds.

Genetics and Development

The Broad-leaved herb has a karyotype of two sets of chromosomes and each chromosome 40 ( Cytology: 2n = 80).

Propagation is either by seed or growth of more than one daughter tuber per year. The seeds are very small ( such as dust grains ) and with the naked eye hardly recognizable as such. The seed contains no nutritive tissue for the seedling. Germination can take place only with the help of a special root fungus ( mycorrhiza ).

Dissemination

The Broad-leaved herb grows mainly on nitrogen-poor moist to wet meadows, consisting of different plant communities. Less frequently it is found in fens. The plant loves unshaded, sunny locations.

The plant communities are:

Order Molinietalia caerulae ( Wet Staudenfluren )
Association Caricion nigrae
Order Tofieldietalia (small sedge )
Association Caricion davallianae

( See breakdown Phytosociological units according to Oberdorfer )

The distribution area extends in Europe from the Pyrenees to the Baltic, to the Don, and possibly also to the Volga. South of the Alps comes the Broad-leaved herb not before, in southern Scandinavia it is rare.

It is a Florenelement the Central and westsubmediterranen, Pannonian, South and Central Atlantic, sub-Atlantic and Central European flora zones, possibly the Pontic Flore zone.

In Germany, the Broad-leaved herb is still widely used with several gaps, but there are many sites already gone out, especially from western to northern Germany.

In Switzerland, the Broad-leaved herb is also widely yet far enough. A clear gap is located south of the Aare between Aarau and Lake Neuchâtel.

Nature protection and hazard

The Broad-leaved herb, although in some regions is even greater, but it is still protected as orchid.

Red List of Threatened Species Germany: 3
Red List states: Baden- Württemberg: 3, Bavaria: 3, Berlin: 2, Brandenburg: 2, Hamburg: 2, Hesse: 3, Mecklenburg- Vorpommern: 2, Lower Saxony: 2, North Rhine -Westphalia: 3, Rhineland -Palatinate: 3, Saarland: 3, Saxony- Anhalt: 3 axes: 2, Schleswig -Holstein: 3, Thuringia: 2

For some time the stocks take this kind from as many plants of wet meadows. The main causes are Nitrogen fertilization, draining the sites and intensive grazing. The Broad-leaved herb not so sensitive to changes in locations such as the Flesh-colored orchid, with which it shares the locations occasionally. It usually disappears as the last of the native orchids. This tolerance makes it a relatively frequent Article

Orchid of the Year

In order to alert the public to its privileged nature, the Broad-leaved herb of the working groups of Native Orchids ( AHO) was s elected in 1989 on the "Orchid of the Year".

Flower of the Year

The German Foundation for the protection of endangered plants ( Loki Schmidt Foundation ) chose the Broad-leaved herb in 1994 for " Flower of the Year".

System

Varieties and hybrids

Subspecies: Dactylorhiza majalis var pumila (synonym: Dactylorhiza majalis var alpestris ).

Dactylorhiza × aschersoniana (D. majalis × D. incarnata ) The hybrids with the flesh -colored orchid is usually difficult to determine. The plants are similar to the flesh -colored orchid with the upright, lighter, occasionally dotted leaves in habit. The lip of the flower is the width between the two parental species. The hybrids with Dactylorhiza incarnata var haematodes may be confused, the leaves are more spotted.
Dactylorhiza × braunii (D. majalis × D. fuchsii ) Hybrids tend to the flower shape times for broadleaf orchid, sometimes for later blossoming spotted orchid. They lie in the heyday usually between the parental species.
Dactylorhiza × dufftiana (M. Schulze ) Soó ( 1962) ( D. majalis × D. traunsteineri )
Dactylorhiza × godferyana (D. majalis × D. praetermissa )
Dactylorhiza × kuehnensis (D. majalis × D. ruthei )
Dactylorhiza × townsendiana (D. majalis × D. maculata )
Dactylorhiza × rupertii (D. majalis × D. sambucina )

× Dactyloglossum drucei ( Dactylorhiza majalis × Coeloglossum viride )
× Dactylodenia lebrunii ( Dactylorhiza majalis × Gymnadenia conopsea )

Synonyms

Ludwig Reichenbach described the 1828 Broad- winged Orchid Orchis majalis as. The name is the basionym after Peter Francis Hunt and Samuel Victor Summerhayes type 1965 resulted in the genus Dactylorhiza. Occasionally, the name Dactylorhiza fistulosa is used, but since the description is not valid, this name can not be used in spite of the earlier publication in 1794 as Orchis fistulosa.

Synonyms:

Orchis majalis Rchb. 1828 ( basionym )
Orchis latifolia L. 1753 (nom. ambiguous. )
Dactylorchis majalis ( Rchb. ) Verm. 1947
Dactylorhiza comosa ssp. majalis ( Rchb. ) P.D. Sell & G.Murrell 1996
Dactylorhiza fistulosa ( Moench ) H. Baumann & Künkele 1983 nom. illeg.

Superstition

The finger like shaped tubers were formerly attributed psychic powers, with the last year's was (dark colored and older) as the devil or Satan finger hand ( lighter colored ) this year called Marie finger or locust hand. In popular belief, the root was at noon on the day locust ( 24.6. ) Heal the sick parts of the body through touch.

Gallery

Dactylorhiza × aschersoniana

Rosette of leaves with bud, at Pretzfeld, Franconian Switzerland

Rare white-flowered form in Jena

Plant the Oster Lakes

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