Morphological variation of Platanthera chlorantha (Orchidaceae) in forest sites of NW Poland

Abstract

The aim of this study was to check a hypothesis on the morphological variability of the Platanthera chlorantha growing in forests in the north-west of Poland (Dobrzany and Karnieszewice Forestries). Statistical techniques were used to analyse 16 morphological characters determined in 174 flowering specimens. A special attention was paid to the size of the spur and labellum.The following morphological characters showed statistically significant differences: spur, labellum, ovary, bract, lateral sepal, leaves and height of the specimens. The differences are most likely a result of different habitat conditions and the location of the study sites.Zmienność morfologiczna Platanthera chlorantha (Orchidaceae) w lasach północno--zachodniej Polski Słowa kluczowe morfologia, zmienność warżki i ostrogi, PCA, Nadleśnictwo Dobrzany i Karnieszewice Streszczenie Badania terenowe przeprowadzono w latach 2011-2012 na obszarze Nadleśnictwa Dobrzany i Karnieszewice (NW Poland). Celem badań było sprawdzenie hipotezy o zmienności morfologicznej podkolana zielonawego (Platanthera chlorantha). Zmierzono 174 okazy i statystycznie przeanalizowano 16 cech morfologicznych; szczególną uwagę zwrócono na wielkość warżki i ostrogi. Na podstawie przeprowadzonych analiz stwierdzono, że 1) zmienność cech morfologicznych badanych okazów prezentuje poziom niski; 2) cechy morfologiczne, takie jak: wielkość warżki, ostrogi, zalążni, przysadek, płatków bocznych i liści oraz wysokość roślin statystycznie istotnie różnią okazy z badanych stanowiskach; 3) nie ma wyraźnych różnic między wielkością warżki i ostrogi u okazów rosnących w cieniu i w miejscach słonecznych.

Chemical Composition and Content of Biologically Active Substances Found in Cotinus coggygria, Dactylorhiza maculata, Platanthera chlorantha Growing in Various Territories

“…The mass fraction of crude protein, mass fraction of fiber, mass fraction of fat (crude fat), mass fraction of ash, cellulose, as well as the content of biologically active substances were selected as the leading indicators characterizing the chemical composition of medicinal plants [9][10][11].…”

“…maculata grows in coniferous, deciduous, and mixed forests, usually on moist and acidic soil, often in forested wetlands, sometimes enters swamps, and can also be found in dry areas. These plants can be found in the European part of Russia within the northern half of the forest zone and the Eastern Baltic, as well as outside Russia-in Western Europe (except for the southern regions) [11]. The plant propagates mainly by seeds and seed production is very high-the fruit contains up to 6200 seeds, totaling up to 186 thousand seeds per plant.…”

“…Most authors agree with the division of the group into two subgroups according to the number of chromosomes, which is accompanied by a tendency towards morphological and ecological differentiation, which is not clearly expressed in all cases. D. maculata accumulates rutin, hyperoside, ferulic acid, quercetin, kaempferol, disulfuretin, sulfuretin, sulfurein, pentagalloyl glucose, and other valuable biologically active substances [5,11,12].…”