Epipactis pontica Taubenheim, syn.: Epipactis helleborine subsp. pontica (Taubenheim) H. Sund., Epipactis persica subsp. pontica (Taubenheim) H. Baumann & R. LorenzFamily: OrchidaceaeEN: no name found; eventually Pontic Helleborine, DE: Pontus-Stndelwurz, Pontische StndelwurzSlo.: pontska movirnicaDat.: Aug. 12. 2020Lat.: 46.35974 Long.: 13.701601 (WGS84) Code: Bot_1324/2020_DSC0920Place: Lower Trenta valley, between villages Soa and Trenta, next to the trail from cottage Trenta 2b to the abandoned farm house Strgulc, Soa 47, east of Skokar's ravine, East Julian Alps, Posoje, Slovenia EC. Habitat: Moderately inclined mountain slope, southeast aspect; Fagus sylvatica forest with scattered Picea abies, with sparse or no herb floor coverage and nearly closed canopies; colluvial, skeletal, calcareous ground; warm, semi dry, in shade place; protected from direct rain by tree canopies, elevation from 580 m (1.900 feet) to 600 m (1.970 feet); average precipitations ~ 3.000 mm/year, average temperature 7 - 9 deg C, alpine phytogeographical region. Substratum: soil.Comment: Epipactis pontica is a rather rare wild forest orchid in Slovenia and elsewhere. It was first described in north Turkey growing in beech forests along Black Sea shore, where it was a short time considered endemic. But, soon after that it was found in north Greece and Bulgaria. Today it is known from northeast Italy, Austria, Croatia, Slovenia, northwest Hungary and former Czechoslovakia (Ref.: 3). In Slovenia it was discovered not earlier than at the end of last century (Ref.: 8). The most notable traits of the species are: low and gracile habit, thin steam particularly of the florescence, small number of leaves and flowers, to some extent one-sided inflorescence, flowers have wide transition between hypo- and epiphyll and dominant green tones everywhere and specially in sepals. Traits vary somewhat from population to population in different countries (Ref.: 6), so do their descriptions. Pinkish tones in the perianth are rare as it is the case with these finds. They are typical for Italian populations (Ref.: 2) that is in the west neighboring regions to Trenta valley. In Bulgaria the flowering period between the last 10 days of July and the first 10 days of August is characteristic (Ref.: 5). So it appears is also true in Slovenia where all of a few tens of records fall between July 15. and August 10. (Ref. 7, Ref.:11). Habitat is also very characteristic. Look at the picture no. 26. of the album, which shows a striking similarity of the typical habitats published by AHO Bayern (Ref.:3) and in the Trenta valley.Protected according to: Uredba o zavarovanih prostoiveih rastlinskih vrstah, poglavje A, Uradni list RS, t. 46/2004 (Regulation of protected wild plants, chapter A, Official Gazette of Republic Slovenia, no. 46/2004), (2004).Included in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)Ref.:(1) Personal communication (conf.) with Mr. Branko Dolinar,
www.orhideje.si(2) H. Baumann, S. Kuenkele, R.Lorenz, Orchideen Europas, Ulmer (2006), p 92.(3)
www.aho-bayern.de/epipactis/ep_pont.html (accessed Aug. 13, 2020)(4)
flora.nhm-wien.ac.at/Seiten-Arten/Epipactis-pontica.htm (accessed Aug. 13, 2020)(5)
www.researchgate.net/publication/237765369_Epipactis_pont... (accessed Aug. 13, 2020)(6)
www.zobodat.at/pdf/Fl-Austr-Novit_4_0001-0010.pdf opis slika(7)
www.orhideje.si (accessed Aug. 26, 2020)(8) B. Dolinar, Kukavievke v Sloveniji (Orchidaceae of Slovenia) (in Slovenian), Pipinova Knjiga (2015), p 79.(9) M.A. Fischer, W. Adler, K. Oswald, Exkursionsflora fr sterreich, Liechtenstein und Sdtirol, LO Landesmuseen, Linz, Austria (2005), p 1035.(10) A. Martini et all., Mala Flora Slovenije (Flora of Slovenia - Key) (in Slovenian), Tehnina Zaloba Slovenije (2007), p 765. (11) T. Selikar, B. Vre, A. Selikar, FLOVEGSI data base, The 'Jovan Hadi' Institute of Biology ZRC SAZU, 2003;
bijh.zrc-sazu.si/sl/zbirka/podatkovna-zbirka-flovegsi-fav... (accessed Aug. 26. 2020)
