Himantoglossum caprinum
Himantoglossum caprinum (M. Bieb.) Spreng.
Himantoglossum hircinum auct. non (L.) Spreng.3, 4
Orchidaceae – Orchid family
Conservation status. Vulnerable [VU B2b(ii,iv)c(iv)]. BDA, HD(IIb), BC, CITES(2).
Morphology and biology. Perennial plant with 2 ovoid tubers. Stems 30–90 cm, with 5–8 grey-green, elliptical leaves. Inflorescences with 20–40 flowers, lax. Sepals and petals form a hood, violet-white, with longitudinal stripes. Labellum trilobed, lateral lobes linear, curved, 9–22 mm long, edges waved; the middle lobe very long, 4.5–8.5 cm, slightly twisted, bifurcate at the end. Spur 4.5–7 mm. Fl. VI, fr. VII. Insect pollination. Reproduction by seeds.
Habitats and populations. Open sunny places, more often on stony limestone soil, extensively used pastures, among shrubs and forest glades in light deciduous forests. Populations usually cover small areas (up to 0.01–1 ha) and comprise up to 50–100 plants, rarely more. Localities with up to 5 ha have been observed only rarely, but these usually have very low densities.
Distribution in Bulgaria. Locally in the whole country; up to 1100 m alt. More common in the karst areas of the Forebalkan, Balkan Range, Znepole Region, Rhodopi Mts (eastern).
General distribution. SE Europe (to Slovakia, Hungary and Slovenia northwestwards).
Threats. Local distribution and strongly fragmented populations; afforestation with pines; overgrazing during flowering and fruiting period; abandonment of some territories (in the last decades). In the 1970–80s the change of land use of so called “abandoned areas” into summer house areas resulted in the destruction of many populations.
Conservation measures taken. Protected species by the Biodiversity Act. Some of the localities fall in protected areas (Sinite Kamani, Rusenski Lom and Shumensko Plateau Nature Parks; Longoza, Ostritsa and Alibotush Strict Nature Reserves; Lakatnishki Skali, Likana and Dupkata Protected Sites, etc.), as well as in many sites of the European ecological network Natura 2000 in Bulgaria.
Conservation measures needed. Preserving the habitats of the species and their sustainable management; raising public awareness about the conservation value of the species.
References. Stojanov 1964; Petrova & Gjuleva 1994; Petrova et al. 2001; Radoslavova 2002; Gerasimova & Petrova 2003; Grozeva et al 2004; Delforge 2006.
Author: Antoaneta Petrova
