The occurrence of Epipactis purpurata in the Rożnów Foothills (Western Carpathians)

Kruszczyk siny Epipactis purpurata Sm. należy do chronionych i rzadkich w skali kraju gatunków z rodziny storczykowatych. W 2009 roku na Pogórzu Rożnowskim znaleziono trzy stanowiska kruszczyka sinego, niepodawanego dotychczas z tego mezoregionu. Populacje gatunku rosły w lasach grądowych. Zagrożeniem dla tego taksonu jest mała liczebność populacji oraz infekcja grzybami patogenicznymi.

Epipactis purpurata Sm. is one of the protected and rare Orchidaceae species in Poland. Three sites of the species were found in the Rożnów Foothills in 2009 (Western Carpathians). It is a new species in the Rożnów Foothills (Fig. 1). Epipactis purpurata grew in the forest communities of the Tilio-Carpinetum association. Its three populations differed in respect of the number of stems: from 1 (the 3rd site) and 3 (the second site) to 20 (the 1st site). It could be assumed that the population condition depends on forest management, because of the species sensitivity to light. Currently, the serious threat is related to a small number of observed stems at the 2nd and the 3rd site and fungal infection.