Epipactis persica (Soó) Hausskn. ex Nannf.

Fateryga, Alexander V., Popovich, Anton V., Fateryga, Valentina V. & Averyanova, Elena A., 2018, New data on the genus Epipactis (Orchidaceae) in the North Caucasus with description of a new species, Phytotaxa 358 (3), pp. 278-288 : 285

Epipactis persica (Soó) Hausskn. ex Nannf. ( Fig. 3H–I )

Helleborine persica Soó (1927: 36) . ≡ Epipactis persica (Soó) Haussknecht ex Nannfeldt (1946: 21) . ≡ Epipactis microphylla subsp. persica (Soó) Hautzinger (1976: 42) . ≡ Epipactis helleborine subsp. persica (Soó) Sundermann (1980: 41) . Lectotype (designated by Hautzinger 1976):— IRAN. Markazi Province: “In dit. urb. Sultanabad”, 1898, Strauss s.n. (JE 00007753!).

= Epipactis helleborine subsp. transcaucasica Khokhrjakov (1991: 107) . Holotype:— GEORGIA. “Adzharia, distr. Kedensis, opp. pagus Zhemna, pineto-quercetum siccum, schistosum”, 5 June 1990, Khokhrjakov, Khokhrjakov & Czitanava s.n. ( MW 0591780 !; isotype MW 0591781 !).

Specimens examined: — RUSSIA. Krasnodar Territory: Gelendzhik District, northern macroslope of Markotkh Range, Polikhronov Ravine, 44°41′43″N, 37°56′08″E, ca. 360 m, hornbeam-beech forest ( Fagus orientalis , Carpinus betulus ), near stream, 9 July 2017, Popovich s.n. (MW); ibid., 44°41′44″N, 37°56′08″E, ca. 356 m, beech forest, near stream, 9 July 2017, Popovich s.n. (MW).

Distribution: — Greece ( Tsiftsis 2010), Romania ( Wucherpfennig 2008), Turkey, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Tajikistan ( Kreutz 1998; Govaerts et al. 2005 –2017, Averyanov 2006, Delforge 2006, AHO 2011), Crimea ( Yena 2012), Republic of Karachay-Cherkessia ( Khokhrjakov 1991), and Krasnodar Territory of Russia ( Khokhrjakov 1991, present record).

Note: —We are not aware that E. helleborine subsp. transcaucasica has been previously included as a synonym of E. persica after extensive study of the literature and therefore this synonymy is proposed here. There are also two photographic-based records of E. persica from the Republic of Karachay-Cherkessia according to the website “Plantarium”: Karachayevsk District, Murudju Canyon, 21 July 2012, Zhdanova (http://www.plantarium.ru/page/ image/id/172724.html) and Teberda Reserve, Malaya Khatipara Range, beech forest, 31 July 2017, Bochkov (http:// www.plantarium.ru/page/image/id/525195.html).

Figures

FIGURE 3. Epipactis spp. in Krasnodar Territory.A–B. E. krymmontana, Gelendzhik District, vicinity of khutor Dhzankhot, Mt Svyataya Nina. C. E. leptochila subsp. leptochila, Gelendzhik District, northern macroslope of Markotkh Range, Polikhronov Ravine (photo is not made on the original site). D–E. E. leptochila subsp. neglecta, Sochi District, left bank of riv. Khosta. F–G. E. muelleri, Novorossiysk District, Abrau Peninsula, Sed’maya Ravine. H–I. E. persica, Gelendzhik District, northern macroslope of Markotkh Range, Polikhronov Ravine. Photos by A.V. Popovich (A–C, F–I) and E.A. Averyanova (D–E).