Epipactis muelleri Godfery

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 : 282-284

Epipactis muelleri Godfery ( Fig. 3F–G )

Epipactis muelleri Godfery (1921a: 106) . ≡ Helleborine latifolia subsp. muelleri (Godfery) Soó (1927: 35) . ≡ Helleborine muelleri (Godfery) Becherer (1936: 266) . ≡ Epipactis helleborine subsp. muelleri (Godfery) Bolòs et al. (1987 publ. 1988: 96). Lectotype (Kreutz, designated here):— FRANCE. Alpes-Maritimes: Thorenc, 16 July 1920, Godfery s.n. (BM [drawing]!) ( Fig. 4 ).

Specimens examined: — RUSSIA. Krasnodar Territory: Novorossiysk District, Abrau Peninsula, Sed’maya Ravine, 44°43′11″N, 37°41′57″E, ca. 176 m, shady oriental hornbeam forest with Cornus australis and Staphylea pinnata , along stream, 7 July 2017, Popovich s.n. (MW); Novorossiysk District, Abrau Peninsula, Mt Kabakhakha, NW exposure, 44°42′48″N, 37°43′10″E, ca. 260 m, maple-hornbeam-oak forest ( Quercus petraea , Carpinus betulus , Acer laetum ), 7 July 2017, Popovich s.n. (MW).

Distribution: — France, Spain, Belgium, Luxemburg, The Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Switzerland, Italy, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Slovenia, Croatia ( Govaerts et al. 2005 –2017, Delforge 2006, AHO 2011), Serbia ( Djordjević 2016), Crimea ( Fateryga et al. 2013), and Krasnodar Territory of Russia (present record).

Notes: —Although the lectotype of E. leptochila is present in BM, the type specimen of E. muelleri has disappeared. Several attempts by M. Spencer (curator of the Herbarium BM) to find the type sheet failed. Since a drawing of the type specimen, drawn by H.M. Godfery, exists in the Herbarium BM, it is hereby chosen as the lectotype. A copy of this was published later by Godfrey (1933) in his “Monograph and Iconograph of Native British Orchidaceae ”.

As in the Crimea ( Fateryga et al. 2013), specimens of E. muelleri from the North Caucasus flower much later than in the main part of its range. Crimean plants differ from typical E. muelleri also by a much narrow junction of hypochile and epichile. Thus, there is a probability that plants from these territories belong to a separate species which is not described yet. However, specimens from the North Caucasus have broader junction of hypochile and epichile ( Fig. 3G ) than Crimean ones.

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).

FIGURE 4. Lectotype of Epipactis muelleri (BM).