Notions on European orchids.

  

   Orchids are "young" plants and given the rarity of fossil traces, estimating an age of appearance is not easy. We therefore place their emergence between 20 and 100 million years ago, while the first flowering plants are at least 150 million years old.

 

General :

   They have a single stem without branches, straight, and a multiple inflorescence. The stems are smooth or downy and bear the leaves.  

 

   The leaves are ribbed lengthwise and elongated (except Goodyera repens which has more complex leaves). All starting from the base to form a rosette or distributed along the stem, they are sometimes reduced to their simplest expression and sheathed. 

 

   The roots are diverse : tubers or rhizomes. In France and Europe, orchids are terrestrial, the roots or tubers remain underground, the leaves are sometimes permanent or semi-permanent. Stems and flowers only appear for a short flowering period. 

 

   The flowers have bilateral symmetry like a face (and not radial like for example : daisy, rose). There are always 3 sepals (back) and 3 petals (forward) which constitute the perianth but their presentation turns out to be complex and offers an astonishing diversity : each species has its own floral organization when not each individual itself. which varies on certain criteria of colors or shapes.

   

    Of the 3 petals, the two lateral ones are identical but the bottom middle one is called the lip and generally points forward (a bit like a tongue). Often very colorful and much more structured than the other petals, it participates indirectly in the pollination of the flower by serving as a "landing strip" for insects. When the flower bud is formed, the labellum is at the top but the ovary which carries the flower will twist (resupination phenomenon) and present the labellum at the bottom. Exceptionally, certain flowers or species do not experience this resupination.    

 

   Flower color is usually red, purple, pink or white. But we will find some species with yellow flowers. Some flowers can be hypochromic (partial or almost total loss of pigmentation) and conversely hyperchromic with an unusual reinforcement of purple dyes.

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Biotope :

   Orchids in Europe are terrestrial with a root system in the soil unlike tropical orchids, a large number of species of which are epiphytic (they have aerial roots and live on branches or tree trunks) or lithophytes (live on the surface of the rocks). A majority of orchid species prefer limestone and often poor soils (limestone lawns, wastelands, scrubland, short meadows maintained by livestock or roadsides). Some will be found in damp and acidic terrain (partially flooded or oozing meadows, edges of reed beds or marshes) or in the shade of the forest. We will therefore not find them in cultivated land and land that is too rich or amended with fertilizers, but a few years of fallowness and orchids may appear.

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Reproduction : 

   Orchids are sexual and except for rare exceptions, need pollinating insects for reproduction. These insects are sometimes of a single species given their particular morphology or of multiple species, which leaves more chances of being pollinated. Orchid pollen is grouped into small masses which stick to the insects' foreheads and then are redeposited on the female organs of another flower. Very few orchids are nectar-producing (which attracts insects in principle), so it is the colors, shapes and pheromones that will play a role in their attraction in this case. Some species produce seeds without sexual reproduction. Others have vegetative propagation and will produce colonies of “clones” around the mother plant through root development without excluding classic reproduction elsewhere.

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Crucial period of life and reproduction : 

   Depending on the species, the leaves appear mainly in winter or spring, it is during this period that maintenance of the biotopes can take place. Many orchids grow in grazed meadows and on the shoulders of our roads and highways. Only limestone lawns are free of tall vegetation detrimental to the growth and flowering of continental orchids, this is the preferred terrain for Ophrys. The period from February to July is a crucial period for flowering: plant growth, development of new tubers (which were falsely and commonly called bulbs, a term used by botanists before the 20th century) or rhizomes, thanks to photosynthesis. Cutting leaves is therefore detrimental to the development of plants in the current year but also for the future year. When a flower stem is cut (mowed, grazed, etc.), it is just the year's flowering that is called into question, the plant does not suffer irreversible damage.

   Tuber orchids (Orchis, Ophrys for example) develop from this nutrient reserve. At the same time, a second (or even more, exceptionally) appears and will constitute the reserve of the plant for the following year. Once the cycle is complete, the upper part of the plant degrades and flowers, stem and leaves disappear. Some woodier stems remain and the following spring we can observe these dead stems alongside the new ones. From the new tuber, new leaves appear in autumn or at the beginning of winter and will give a new flowering between January and June depending on the species and the geographical location. So even if it is the same individual that reappears every year, it may move slightly to flower a few inches further away. Orchids therefore have the ability to “migrate” and make slight movements from an original tuber.

   A fertilized flower will produce several hundred to several thousand almost microscopic seeds. These light seeds, once released, can be deposited at the base of the mother plant or fly away and can colonize another territory. The favorable conditions for the seed to give rise to a new plant are weak. The seed must be slightly buried and encounter the mycelium of a symbiotic fungus to germinate. In fact, the seed has no nutrient reserves and the fungus will provide it with some. It then often takes several years for a plant to produce flowers.     

   We are seeing more and more signs on the side of our roads bravely announcing “Late mowing”. This is a good thing for certain grasses but rarely effective for orchids which will develop their seeds over a long period. Mowing an embankment in May or June (often just before the maintenance teams' summer vacation, etc.) does not allow the orchids to fruit fully. The capsules must be dry and only release their seeds between June and July and it is therefore after this date that mowing can take place.

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Variability in species :  

• the size of the plants varies enormously and an orchid of the same species may measure less than 10 cm or reach up to 50 cm.

• the number of flowers is not constant: the Venus Slipper normally has one flower, sometimes two but for another species it can be 10 or 50.

• the shape of the flowers also exhibits great variability for a given species but less so their size which is rather constant. On the same flower stem, it sometimes happens that Ophrys flowers have different shape characteristics.

• the color of the flowers for the same species is normally constant but the tone can be more or less dark. For Ophrys, it is the designs of the labellum that will vary enormously. One species (Dactylorhiza sambucina) has purple or yellow flowers, the two shades generally coexisting.

 

Why is it so difficult to identify an orchid ?

     Orchids are not that numerous in France : around 90 species and a total of 160 species and subspecies, but the variability is sometimes significant from one plant to another, which can enormously complicate their identification. Species within the same genus can hybridize and then the possible combinations become infinite because the majority of these hybrids are fertile and create new plants that can hybridize endlessly. It is not easy to distinguish between genetic diversity and hybridization. Certain genera (let's not forget that these are arbitrary classifications made by botanists and scientists and that nature has little use for our reasoning sometimes) also have the ability to hybridize with each other: e.g. species of the genus anacamptis and the genus orchis.           

   Fortunately, certain genera are only represented by 1 species on our territory (Cypripedium calceolus for example) and despite the geographical isolation of the populations, since the populations of Haute-Marne and Côte d'or have no communication with Savoyard populations, the species presents a unique morphology whatever the region where it grows.

   

   However, certain animal species are younger than our orchids and, through genetic evolution, are no longer able to hybridize, so we could wonder why plant species have not developed this genetic barrier. One explanation undoubtedly lies in the "consciousness" that animal species have which know how to choose their partners and do not easily exchange their genes. Nothing like this with flowering plants which are dependent on insects: it is they who almost exclusively ensure pollination and "decide" to pair one plant with another. There is therefore a much greater genetic mixing which makes the plants interfertile over longer periods of time. Only geographic isolation can allow a group of plants of the same species to evolve rapidly, with new combinations of genes spreading very quickly.

   From a practical point of view, to identify orchids, we can use guides or consult websites. Take advantage of botanical outings and perfect your knowledge through meetings with other enthusiasts. Let us not forget, however, that there are only a few truths and that faced with very diverse flowers, one person will be able to classify a particular individual in a particular species while another will do so in another. And a conviction, even if forcefully asserted, does not necessarily make it a truth ! Some authors, through their works, will therefore multiply species and create confusion for ordinary mortals, while other authors will conversely prefer to opt for simplifying caution and bring together as many individuals as possible within a species. unique with non-discriminating characteristics. 

 

How many orchids in France ?

   The different genera with the most common species are listed below.

   In France, there are 25 genera for around 160 species + subspecies.

   13 genera are represented by only 1 species, often rare to very rare. 10 genera are represented by 3 to 50 species.

   The validity of certain species is debated ; some of them may only be subspecies, or even regional varieties or geographical isolates with staggered flowering. In principle, the definition of a species is based on its genetic isolation and its non-natural hybridization with others. At the European level, numbers of species of the same genus hybridize spontaneously and we even find different hybridized genera, we can therefore legitimately question this propensity to name an orchid when morphological characteristics differ or when flowering is shifted in time. This site does not seek to fuel a controversy on a subject that is nevertheless essential, I will almost scrupulously use the most current nomenclature possible so as not to lose the reader in their research and species determinations.

 

• Genera Orchis (Orchis militaris, Orchis purpurea, Orchis simia, Orchis anthropophora, Orchis mascula...). About 10 espèces in France.

• Genera Ophrys (Ophrys apifera, Ophrys araneola, Ophrys aranifera/sphegodes, Ophrys fuciflora, Ophrys insectifera, Ophrys scolopax...). About 13 species but many subspecies in France. Common to very rare, many species are often just regional variations.

• Genera Dactylorhiza (Dactylorhiza fuchsii, Dactylorhiza maculata, Dactylorhiza incarnata, Dactylorhiza sambucina, Dactylorhiza viridis - ex Coeloglossum viride...). Around 5 species in France but a total of more than 30 species + subspecies. Common to rare.

• Genera Epipactis (Epipactis atrorubens, Epipactis helleborine, Epipactis muelleri...). 10 species and just over 20 species + subspecies, from common to rare and regional.

• Genera Anacamptis (Anacamptis pyramidalis, Anacamptis morio...). Around 7 species in France but double in species + subspecies. Common in almost all regions.

• Genera Serapias (Serapias lingua, Serapias vomeracea...). Around 8 more or less rare and localized species.

• Genera Cephalanthera (Cephalanthera damasonium, Cephalanthera longifolia, Cephalanthera rubra). 3 rather common but sometimes regional species. 

• Genera Gymnadenia (Gymnadenia conopsea, Gymnadenia rhellicani...). 8 species in France more or less rare and localized.

• Genera Platanthera (Plantanthera bifolia, Plantanthera chlorantha...). 3 species in France. Common and widespread for the species mentioned.

• Genera Neotinea (Neotinea maculata, Neotinea ustulata, Neotinea tridentata, Neotinea lactae...). Around 6 more or less rare or localized species.

• Genera Himantoglossum (Himantoglossum hircinum, Himantoglossum robertanium). 2 common species including one localized.

• Genera Neottia (ex Listera ovalis, Listera cordata => Neottia ovata, Neottia cordata et Neottia nidus-avis). 3 species including 1 common and 1 regional. 

• Genera Spiranthes (Spiranthes spiralis). 2 rare but geographically widespread species.

• Genera Limodorum (Limodorum abortivum). 2 species including 1 common and 1 regional.

• Genera Cypripedium (Cypripedium calceolus = Sabot de Venus). 1 single species in France. Rare and localized.

• Genera Goodyera (Goodyera repens). 1 common species.

• Genera Herminium (Herminium monorchis). 1 single species in France. Rare and localized.

• Genera Epipogium (Epipogium aphyllum). 1 single species in France. Rare and localized. 

• Genera Liparis (Liparis loeselii). 1 single species in France. Rare and localized. 

• Genera Corallorhiza (Corallorhiza trifida). 1 single species in France. Rare and localized. 

• Genera Hammarbya (Hammarbya paludosa). 1 single species in France. Rare and localized. 

• Genera Gennaria (Genaria diphylla). 1 single species in France. Rare and localized. (Corse)

• Genera Chamorchis (Chamorchis alpina). 1 single species in France. Rare and localized.

• Genera Traunsteinera (Traunsteinera globosa). 1 single species in France. Rare and localized. 

• Genera Pseudorchis (Pseudorchis albida). 1 single species in France. Uncommon and moderately widespread.

 

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   General information about Ophrys :

   

   Ophrys are jewels of elegance among European orchids. The plants have an average height (10 to 30 cm most often) but can exceptionally reach 70 to 80 cm (Personal observation O apifera and O insectifera). The flowers are small, barely the size of a fingernail, do not produce nectar and appear to have little pollen: 2 pollen masses which aggregate together. The flowers are few in number: often 10 to 15. The labellum (petal in front) is particularly developed and complex. Normally convex, it gives the impression of a full shape whereas it is a fine curved petal adorned with more or less marked lateral gibbosities and most often hairy. The lip is colored upright but upside down, it generally remains a solid whitish to beige color. It is often slightly tilted and at an angle to the other petals, making it more visible to a flying insect....and orchid seekers ! Each species of Ophrys has its own coloring of petals and sepals, shapes of the labellum as well as designs on these same labellums. But there are infinite variations which can complicate identification and hybridizations are always possible... We will therefore find grounds for discussion to know whether we are facing a species, a subspecies or a regional variety.

   It is often said that Ophrys "mimic" insects, hence their ancient vernacular names: Ophrys bee, Ophrys wasp, Ophrys fly, etc. This "resemblance" would attract male insects who would attempt to mate with these apparent females. and passing from one flower to another would ensure pollination by pollen transfer. This is, if not nonsense, at least very close to the truth because insects know very well how to visually recognize their potential partners and do not attempt to mate with real females of another species. It is above all the pheromones secreted by the Ophrys which attract and lure them. An evolutionary iteration meant that insects and Ophrys slowly found a pollinating association: often each Ophrys is pollinated by only one or two species of hymenoptera...and the Ophrys flowers don't look at all like their pollinator ! Neither the shape nor the designs of the labellum are similar ! And more or less the size either. What is certain is that hymenoptera males are lured when they land on the labellum. Intoxicated by the pheromones and undoubtedly reassured by the hairiness of the lip, they attempt to copulate with it and are adorned with one or two sticky pollen masses, most often on their forehead. Although they quickly realize the deception, they often nevertheless attempt a new mating with another flower more or less close by. In the meantime, the pollen mass has tilted and during this new attempt pollinates the female organs of the orchid. If the insect tires of being lured, it can then change flower species for a real pollen provider or simply find a real partner of its own species! There is therefore a high risk that all the pollen will be lost for reproduction! The flowers present on an orchid plant are rarely all fertilized.    

   Some Ophrys are called pseudophrys and have some slight morphological differences. They are pollinated by their own hymenoptera and these attempt to mate in a reverse position with their backs to the pollen masses. These then stick to the back or the end of the abdomen. By visiting another Ophrys flower always in the same position, they also ensure fertilization. It is difficult to know if it is the species of Ophrys which induces the position of its pollinator or if the latter adopts a more natural position for its species. 

 

   Ophrys are often plants that favor limestone and dry soils, more or less grassy. Wastelands and scrubland suit them but not forests or areas that are too shaded. Like Orchis, their roots are tuberous. However, I observed O apifera for several years in a row on a D elata station, the roots immersed in a generous ooze, probably for a large part of the year (Pers obs: La Bastide Pradines, Aveyron).  ​

 

Summary presentation of an Ophrys in order to familiarize yourself with the descriptive elements.

   

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