Gymnadenia rhellicani

Gymnadenia rhellicani (common name: dark vanilla orchid[2] or black vanilla orchid[3][4]) is a European species of orchid.

Gymnadenia rhellicani
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Plantae
(unranked):
Angiosperms
(unranked):
Monocots
Order:
Asparagales
Family:
Orchidaceae
Genus:
Gymnadenia
Species:
G. rhellicani
Binomial name
Gymnadenia rhellicani
(Teppner & E. Klein) Teppner & E. Klein
Synonyms [1]
  • Nigritella rhellicani Teppner & E. Klein
  • Nigritella nigra subsp. rhellicani (Teppner & E. Klein) H. Baumann, Künkele & R. Lorenz

Description

Gymnadenia rhellicani grows 5–22 centimetres (2.0–8.7 in) high, with a dense, globose to cylindrical inflorescence of red-brown to chocolate-brown flowers with a chocolate-like aroma.[5] Some plants, especially in the south of the species' range have noticeably paler flowers.[5]

Distribution

Gymnadenia rhellicani grows in the Alps and Carpathians at altitudes of 1,000–2,800 metres (3,300–9,200 ft).[1]

Taxonomy

The species was described as a distinct species in 1990 by Herwig Teppner and Erich Klein, who noted that it was diploid and reproduced sexually, in contrast to the rest of the wider Gymnadenia nigra group, which is polyploid and apomictic.[5] At the time, all these taxa were in the genus Nigritella, but that was later subsumed into Gymnadenia. The specific epithet "rhellicanus" commemorates Johannes Müller (known as "Rhellicanus", 'from Rellikon', to distinguish him from others with the same name), who in 1536 made the earliest description of the species known to the authors.[5]

References
  1. H. Rankou (2011). "Gymnadenia rhellicani". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2011: e.T175979A7161210. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2011-2.RLTS.T175979A7161210.en.
  2. Perry, Julian (2014). Walking in Bulgaria's National Parks. Kendal, UK: Cicerone. p. 188.
  3. "Nigritella rhellicani (Black Vanilla Orchid)". The Alpine Flora of Zermatt, Switzerland. Retrieved December 28, 2019.
  4. "Gymnadenia rhellicani – Black Vanilla Orchid". First Nature. Retrieved December 28, 2019.
  5. Herwig Teppner & Erich Klein (1990). "Nigritella rhellicani spec. nova und N. nigra (L.) Rchb. f. s. str. (Orchidaceae - Orchideae)" (PDF). Phyton. Horn, Austria. 31 (1): 5–26.
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