Nowe stanowisko kruszczyka sinego Epipactis purpurata Sm. na terenie rezerwatu przyrody „Skarpa Wiślicka” na Pogórzu Śląskim

Epipactis purpurata Sm., is a rare orchid species in Poland, classified as Vulnerable (VU) on the Polish Red List of Ferns and Flowering Plants and as Rare (R) on the Red List of Plants and Fungi of Poland. It is strictly protected and considered one of the most endangered orchids in the country. Morphologically, it is a perennial herb reaching 20–80 cm in height, with a purplish stem and pale pink flowers. It typically blooms from mid-July to September, making it one of the latest-flowering orchids in Poland. In August 2013, two shoots of E. purpurata were discovered in the “Skarpa Wiślicka” nature reserve, located in the Silesian Foothills. This reserve, established in 1996 and covering 29.03 ha, is part of the Natura 2000 network due to its active tufa formation processes. The area is a forested island within an agricultural landscape and has been the subject of botanical research since the 1930s. In July 2024, a follow-up survey confirmed the presence of a new population of E. purpurata in forest compartment 74c of the reserve, approximately 350 meters south of the 2013 site. Five flowering individuals were found in a patch of subcontinental hornbeam forest (Tilio-Carpinetum). The confirmed site belongs to the DF91 square according to the vascular plant distribution grid in Poland. This finding highlights the importance of continued botanical monitoring in the Silesian Foothills, especially given the region’s dynamic land-use changes and urbanization pressures. Authors also highlight the need to update records of rare and protected plant species to support effective conservation strategies.