An unexpected new record of the Mediterranean orchid, Ophrys bertolonii (Orchidaceae) in Central Europe

Abstract

One flowering specimen of Ophrys bertolonii (s. str.) -a plant with a Circum-Adriatic distribution and hitherto unknown in other regions -was found on 7th May 2010 in the vicinity of Kunadacs (Central Hungary; N 47• 00 E 19• 17 ). The nearest known populations of this Mediterranean plant inhabit the Adriatic coast (ca. 450 km away) in Croatia, therefore this new occurrence represents a significant long distance dispersal event. The circumstances of the occurrence argue against introduction, but we can not decide now whether this new appearance is temporary or permanent. The permanent establishment of this strictly entomophilous plant requires the presence of its specific pollinator in the close neighbourhood of the habitat. However, no pollination was observed on the three flowers of the plant until 9th May, and one day later the stem had disappeared most likely due to grazing. Whatever the long-term fate of the plant is, this discovery represents a significant long distance (jump) dispersal event, and testifies to the dispersal ability of Ophrys species. Additionally, the appearance of a mature Adriatic plant in Central Europe fits well into the currently observed, climate change driven northward expansion of European orchids, therefore this finding most likely reflects a growing Mediterranean-like climatic influence in the region.

Asterolinon linum-stellatum (Primulaceae) in Hungary

“…Th us the spontaneous occurrence of Asterolinon linumstella tum at Tarnaörs may be safely assumed. Th is could be similar to the spontaneous presence of Ophrys bertolonii Moretti, another Mediterranean species, recently showed in the Great Hungarian Plain (Molnár et al 2011).…”

Morphological and Reproductive Trait-Variability of a Food Deceptive Orchid, Cephalanthera Rubra Along Different Altitudes

“…Extreme weather phenomena are becoming more and more frequent all over the world (WMO, 2011;Rahmstorf and Coumou, 2011;Coumou and Rahmstorf, 2012), which suggests that climate change is not just a future threat but is also an accelerating process in the present. The impacts of climate change can be detectable at different levels (e.g., community (Woodward et al, 1998) in species (Johnston and Schmitz, 1997), in population (Cochrane et al, 2014)) and they have already been examined on various aspects (mainly distribution (Parmesan and Yohe, 2003;Thuiller et al, 2005;Molnár V. et al, 2011) but also in survival, phenology (Fitter and Fitter, 2002;Morellato et al, 2016) or reproductive success (Ackermann, 1989 of many different species or communities (Parmesan and Handley, 2015;Molnár, 2015). Understanding the species' answer to this changing environment is extremely important in the case of plants, as their primary productive role is one of the essential components of almost all ecosystems on the Earth.…”

Remote locality of the littoral Carex extensa (Cyperaceae) in Hungary — long distance dispersal from coastal to inland salt marshes

“…The nearest occurrences to the locality at Lake Fertő are recorded along the Adriatic (at a distance of 330 km) and the Baltic (750 km) coasts. Remote appearances of anemochorous species with minute propagulus are regularly reported from the Pannonian Basin (see the most recent examples by Ekrt & Hrivnák 2010;Molnár et al 2011), however, similar establishment of zoochorous species is probably more extraordinary.…”