Himantoglossum hircinum(L.) Sprengel

Abstract

A perennial glabrous herb with two entire, ovoid or subglobose tubers. Roots short and relatively thick. Stem (10 -) 20 -70 (-115) cm, pale green, sometimes faintly marbled with purple, solid, cylindrical, smooth, and obscurely angled above. Leaves pale to dark green; the lower 4-10, 5-20 × 3.5-6 cm, elliptical-oblong to oblong-lanceolate, obtuse to acute at apex, entire, keeled and erect or spreading, many-veined; the upper smaller, tapering to an acute apex, clasping the stem. Inflorescence a spike 1-25 (-50) × 4-12 cm, rather lax, and cylindrical. Bracts 0.5-5 × 0.1-0.2 cm, pale green or white, often tinged with rose, narrow linear, tapering to an acute apex, more or less membranous, often with in-rolled edges, with a green central vein and about three others on either side. Flowers greenish-white with a very long, ribbon-like and white, green and purple or brownish twisted labellum hanging obliquely downwards (on small spikes with few scattered flowers the labella often appear horizontal), and a strong smell of billy goats. Outer perianth segments 0.7-1 cm, forming a helmet or hood, cohering at the base, free or not at the tip, whitish-green often flushed with purple spots or streaks inside and out, ovate, rounded at apex, concave, 3-or 4-veined (often green), the upper arched forward and rather boat-shaped. Inner perianth segments slightly shorter than the outer, very narrow, linear spotted, and 1-veined. Labellum 2-6 cm, linear, wedge-shaped and broader at the base, with (approximately) 12 purple spots around the junction where the three lobes meet; the edges are crimped. Side lobes 0.5-2 cm, purple brownish, curled and ribbon-like. Middle lobe white on top near its base, becomes purple light brownish for the 80% nearest the tip, and is curled. Spur short, conical, sock-like, rounded at the apex and directed downwards. Column rather short and erect. Single anther greenish-white and pyriform. There are two olive-green, pyriform pollinia. Caudicles thick, yellow, longer than the pollinia and bent at the apex. Viscidium elliptical or quadrangular, enclosed in a bursicle and very sticky. Stigma obtusely 4-cornered or ovatecordate and bordered by a dark line. Rostellum beaklike, projecting beyond the stigma. Ovary about 1 cm, pale green, spindle-shaped, twisted, pedicellate, with 3 slight, longitudinal ridges. Capsule long, tapering at the base, with marked ridges, 0.5-1.5 cm long and about 0.25-0.75 cm in diameter and contains 0-2000 seeds. Seeds 340 µ m in length by 120 µ m in diameter with the embryo measuring 100 µ m in length and 70 µ m in diameter. Seed mass > 0.01 µ g.A species of calcareous grasslands, sand dunes and occasionally woodland edges. It often appears sporadically as individuals or small colonies in new sites where it may last 20 years. In England larger colonies appeared only in the latter part of the 20th century and their persistence is not known.

Long‐term demographic fluctuations in an orchid species driven by weather: implications for conservation planning

“…comm.). Additionally, Carey & Farrell (2002) reported rotting of seeds because of wet conditions after 2 years.…”

In situmorphometric survey elucidates the evolutionary systematics of the EurasianHimantoglossumclade (Orchidaceae: Orchidinae)

“…Recent fluctuations in the northwestern limit of H. hircinum (reviewed by Carey, 1999; Carey & Farrell, 2002; Pfeifer, Heinrich & Jetschke, 2006) suggest that its seeds can migrate and then germinate with comparative ease, and suitable pollinating insects are known to be present across the Mediterranean islands. However, despite this supposed long-distance mobility, the mainland distributions of the more widespread Himantoglossum species show remarkably little overlap and equally little disjunction (Fig.…”

“…11 of Bateman et al, 2013). Fortunately, recent studies (Molnár, 2011; Sramkó et al, 2014; Biró & Bódis, 2015; Tsiftsis, 2016) have brought knowledge of the systematics and biology of the eastern members of the clade significantly closer to levels previously achieved for the most westerly taxon, H. hircinum (reviewed by Carey & Farrell, 2002; Pfeifer et al, 2010; Bateman et al, 2013). When placed in a more explicit evolutionary context, members of the Himantoglossum clade have in addition contributed to discussions of founder effects on oceanic islands (Bateman, 2012b; Bateman et al, 2014) and of phenotypic convergence (Bateman et al, 2013).…”

Growth ofHimantoglossum adriaticumandH. caprinumindividuals, and relationship between sizes and flowering

“…On this basis, the strategy of resource management of Himantoglossums does not differ from that of other perennials, which are able to accumulate carbohydrates, if they need carbohydrates even for many years before the flowering. It was previously proved, that the probability of flowering is influenced by the plant sizes in the given and the previous year (Carey andFarrell 2002, Pfeifer et al 2006), but the (possible) effects of the year prior to these two last years have not been published yet.…”