Please mention The Gers Local when responding to adverts Orchid - Red helleborine Cephalanthera rubra


The orchid, Red Helleborine is considered vulnerable in Europe. (Endangered in the UK)


It is at its happiest on chalky ‘alkaline’ soils (so there are many possibilities in the Quercy area) it also prefers dry woodland areas – preferably with deciduous trees.


This orchid with its long, thin, dark- green


leaves


produces up to 12 pink or pinky-purple flowers (rather like a spiky tulip) in June or July on one long spike, growing up to 40 – 60 cm high.


The Red helleborine is a long-lived perennial and the leaves may not appear until up to six years after germination;


with


flowering not occurring until the plant is ten years old.


Flowering (eventually) in June and July these plants do not produce any nectar, having instead to trick insects into pollinating


them.


Pollination is thought to be carried out by bees who are possibly attracted by the colouration of the flowers which fool some bees into thinking the flower is another species of bee.


The survival of the species is threatened by lack of management of the habitat which cuts out the required light to the woodland floor and also to some extent the activities of slugs


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