Florisztikai adatok a Tokaj–Zempléni-hegyvidékről és környékéről

Cikkünkben a Tokaj–Zempléni-hegyvidék területéről és környékéről (a Szerencsközből, a Hernád-mentéről, a Bodrogközből, a Taktaközből és a Harangodból) az elmúlt évtized legfontosabb és legérdekesebb florisztikai eredményeiről számolunk be. A Zempléni-hegységből két új védett fajt (As­plenium javorkaeanum, Epipactis nordeniorum), a Bodrogköz magyarországi részéről pedig hét új védett fajt mutattunk ki (Cephalanthera damasonium, Cirsium brachycephalum, Epilobium palustre, Epipactis palustris, Lycopodium clavatum, Pyrola rotundifolia, Polystichum aculeatum). Számos ritka faj új lelőhe­lyére bukkantunk (Epipactis exilis, Dryopteris expansa, Blechnum spicant, Androsace maxima, Orchis cori­ophora, Orchis purpurea, Dactylorhiza sambucina, Sonchus palustris, Cicuta virosa). Továbbá sikerült megerősítenünk több olyan faj adatát, amelyek már évtizedek óta nem kerültek elő (Sedum hispanicum, Erysimum wittmannii subsp. pallidiflorum, Pseudolysimachion spurium, Botrychium lunaria).

Implications of salep collection for the conservation of the Elder-flowered orchid (Dactylorhiza sambucina) in Epirus, Greece

Background In Epirus, Greece, orchids have been traditionally harvested for the production of salep, a beverage made from their tubers. Over-collection of orchids for salep is believed to be a growing threat to wild species, yet very little research has concentrated on orchid populations in the wild. Here, we studied the impact of salep collection on population demographic parameters and uniformity of distribution patterns of the Elder-flowered orchid, Dactylorhiza sambucina, the most commonly collected orchid in northern Greece. Methods We carried out fieldwork in four meadows where salep harvesting occurs, and conducted interviews in villages close to these sites. Fieldwork focused on the demographic parameters of orchid populations and on the characteristics of their habitat (natural-anthropogenic). We also measured population size and distribution, extent and multi-scale density, comparing distributions to Poisson and fractal models. Results According to interviews, salep collection by the local community has decreased, contrary to collection by people outside the community, which is increasing. Interviewees did not believe that orchid abundance was higher in the past; they claim that it can be very variable. None of the participants seemed aware of the legislation to conserve orchids. Demographic parameters did not seem to be strongly dependent on whether it was a harvested and non-harvested sites and population density was greatest in the site of highest collection pressure. Conclusions Our findings show that salep collection is still ongoing in Epirus. Our interview results and our population study indicate that current levels of collection are not significantly affecting the abundance of the Elder-flowered orchid in Epirus subalpine meadows. However, the expanding commercial collection could reach levels that threaten the species. There is a need for a longer-term monitoring of these orchid populations, and a more effective modeling of the species’ response to different harvesting pressures.

Molecular identification of mycorrhizal fungi in Dactylorhiza sambucina (Orchidaceae)

We amplified and sequenced internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of the nuclear ribosomal repeat from fungi in roots of Dactylorhiza sambucina (Orchidaceae) and used the extended database to identify the mycorrhizal fungi. We molecularly identified three ITS recovered from D. sambucina roots, one belonging to Rhizoctonia group, and two to ascomycetes, for the first time in Orchidoidae. In many cases, two sequence types were found from the same orchid root, providing that two taxa may be involved in mycorrhizal formation (multiple mycobiont colonization). Moreover, we demonstrated that D. sambucina plants, irrespective of their colour polymorphism, possess roots containing several fungi belonging to both asco- and basidiomycetes.