On taxonomic status of two species of orchids (Orchidaceae) from Turkmenistan

Abstract

The orchid genera Epipactis Zinn and Ophrys L. are well-known by their complicated taxonomy and extensive debates over species richness within them. These genera are represented in Turkmenistan by two species each. Two of them, namely E. turcomanica K. P. Popov et Neshat. and O. kopetdagensis K. P. Popov et Neshat., were hitherto accepted as species endemic to Turkmenistan. In the present paper, these taxa are synonymized with broadly distributed E. persica (Soó) Hausskn. ex Nannf. and O. oestrifera M. Bieb., respectively. Thus, the genus Epipactis is represented in Turkmenistan by E. persica and E. veratrifolia Boiss. et Hohen., and the genus Ophrys is represented by O. mammosa Desf. and O. oestrifera. There are no species of orchids endemic to Turkmenistan.