Image of Orchis pallens L.

Description:

Slo.: bleda kukavica - syn.: Orchis sulphurea Sims., Orchis pseudopallens K.Koch - Habitat: a small patch of light, mostly broadleaved woodland and bushes, within cultural grassland, flat terrain, calcareous ground; in shade (when tree foliage present), dry place; partly protected from direct rain by tree canopies, average precipitations 1.700-1.900 mm/year, average temperature 7-9 deg C, elevation 535 m (1.750 feet), Dinaric phytogeographical region. - Substratum: soil. - Comment: Orchis pallens is a remarkable and quite uncommon wild growing orchid in Slovenia. Every encounter with it is an adventure for me. It is simple to recognize it by pale yellow, relatively large flowers and uniformly light green, shiny and fleshy leaves. The only candidate for misidentification is also yellow Orchis provincialis with similarly shaped flowers and habitus, which is nevertheless so rare in Slovenia that solely this makes misidentification almost impossible. In addition, Orchis provincialis has darkly dotted leaves, which makes distinguishing between both species simple. The stands near village Sela are the most beautiful I've ever seen. Tens of these beautiful flowers grow densely packed on a relatively small place. - Protected according to 'Uredba o zavarovanih prostoiveih rastlinskih vrstah' Ur.l. RS, t.46/2004 (Regulation of protection of wild plants, Official Gazette, Republic of Slovenia, No.46/2004).Enlisted in the Slovene Red List of rare and endangered species, marked by 'V' representing a vulnerable species. - Ref.: (1) H. Baumann, S. Kuenkele, R. Lorenz, Orchideen Europas, Ulmer (2006), p 234. (2) A. Martini et all., Mala Flora Slovenije, Tehnina Zaloba Slovenije (2007) (in Slovene), p 781. (3) D. Aeschimann, K. Lauber, D.M. Moser, J.P. Theurillat, Flora Alpina, Vol. 2., Haupt (2004), p 1132. (4) H. Haeupler, T. Muer, Bildatlas der Farn- und Bluetenpflazen Deutschlands, Ulmer (2000), p 709. (5) M.A. Fischer, W. Adler, K. Oswald, Exkursionsflora sterreich Liechtenstein, Sdtirol, LO Landesmuseen, Linz, Austria (2005), p 1047.