NAT. CROAT. VOL. 21 No 1 247¿254 ZAGREB June 30, 2012 short communication / kratko priop}enje CEPHALANTHERA DAMASONIUM (MILL.) DRUCE IN MEDITERRANEAN EVERGREEN VEGETATION VEDRAN [EGOTA1, VLADIMIR HR[AK2* & ANTUN ALEGRO2 1 Institute for Research and Development of Sustainable Ecosystems, Jagodno 100a, 10415 Novo ^i~e, Velika Gorica, Croatia 2 Department of Botany and Botanical garden, Division of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, Maruli}ev trg 20/II, HR-10000 Zagreb, Croatia [egota, V., Hr{ak, V. & Alegro, A.: Cephalanthera damasonium (Mill.) Druce in Mediterranean evergreen vegetation. Nat. Croat., Vol. 21, No. 1., 247–254, 2012, Zagreb. Cephalanthera damasonium is a mesophilous orchid species common in continental forests in Croatia. In the Mediterranean region, the species comes almost exclusively in sub-Mediterranean deciduous vegetation. So far only four findings in Eumediterranean evergreen vegetation in Croatia are known (Limski kanal, Rab, Lo{inj, [ibenik), but are mostly characterized by a strong influence of nearby deciduous vegetation and include a small number of specimens. The island of Mljet is the southernmost finding spot of Cephalanthera damasonium in Croatia. In order to explain this unexpected finding, previous findings in Eumediterranean evergreen vegetation and the ecological requirements of the species are discussed. Key words: Adriatic coast, distribution, flora of Croatia, island Mljet, orchids, Quercux ilex [egota, V., Hr{ak, V. & Alegro, A.: Cephalanthera damasonium (Mill.) Druce u mediteranskoj vazdazelenoj vegetaciji. Nat. Croat., Vol. 21, No. 1., 247–254, 2012, Zagreb. Cephalanthera damasonium je uobi~ajena mezofilna vrsta kontinentalnih {uma Hrvatske. U Mediteranu vrsta dolazi gotovo isklju~ivo u submediteranskoj listopadnoj vegetaciji. Do sada poznata jedina ~etiri nalazi{ta u eumediteranskoj vazdazelenoj vegetaciji u Hrvatskoj (Limski kanal, Rab, Lo{inj i [ibenik) karakterizira jak utjecaj okolne listopadne vegetacije i mali broj jedinki. Otok Mljet je najju`nije nalazi{te vrste Cephalanthera damasonium u Hrvatskoj. Kako bi se objasnio ovaj neo~ekivani nalaz, u radu se razmatraju dosada{nji nalazi u eumediteranskoj vazdazelenoj vegetaciji te ekolo{ki zahtjevi vrste. Klju~ne rije~i: jadranska obala, rasprostranjenost, flora Hrvatske, otok Mljet, orhideje, Quercus ilex Cephalanthera damasonium (Mill.) Druce is a Eurasian species, spreading throughout the meridional and the temperate zone and reaching its southern border in the mountains of Sicily, Algeria, Crete, Southern Turkey and Northern Iran (HULTÉN & FRIES, 1986; BAUMANN et al., 2006). It is common in Southern, Central and Western Europe, extending northwards to England and South-East Sweden (MOORE, 1980). In continental Eastern Europe it is local or even vanishing (BAUMANN et al., 2006). Predominantly a species of deciduous forests, it prefers mid-shade to shade, appearing rarely in open habitats (DELFORGE, 2006; LANDOLT, 2010). It is common on calcareous * corresponding author: vladimir.hrsak@biol.pmf.hr Croatian Natural History Museum, Demetrova 1, Zagreb, Croatia 248 [egota, V. et al.: Cephalanthera damasonium (Mill.) Druce in Mediterranean evergreen vegetation to slightly acidic substrates in a variety of beech, fir, oak, hornbeam, pine and cedar forests (BAUMANN et al., 2006; DELFORGE, 2006). In the Mediterranean, it is present generally in higher mountains, and rarely in the coastal zone (BLAMEY & GREY-WILSON, 2004). In Italy, the species is found in deciduous, mostly thermophilous beech forests, (PIGNATTI, 1982). For example, in Gargano (Italy) the species is rare and grows mostly in the higher zone dominated by beech and other deciduous mixed forests (LORENZ & GEMBART, 1987). Although mentioned for Portugal by BAUMANN & KÜNKELE (1982), new research showed that its indigenous status in this country is doubtful and worth restudying (TYTECA, 1997). Out of 157 orchid taxa in Croatia (NIKOLI], 2012), 33 are typical forest species, growing exclusively in forest habitats (KRANJ^EV, 2005). In Croatia, C. damasonium is a common forest species, growing mostly in mixed forests dominated by sessile oak and common hornbeam (Ass. Epimedio-Carpinetum betuli (Horvat 1938) Borh. 1963), as well as montane beech forests and mixed beech and fir forests of alliance Aremonio-Fagion Horvat 1938 (VUKELI] et al., 2008). In the Mediterranean part of Croatia the species was found almost exclusively in the sub-Mediterranean zone (conf. VISIANI, 1842–1852; SCHLOSSER & VUKOTINOVI], 1869; UNTCHJ, 1883; POSPICHAL, 1897–1899; HIRC, 1914; ROSSI, 1930; [EGULJA, 1967; VÖTH & LÖSCHL, 1978; GOELTZ & REINCHARD, Fig. 1. Map of findings of Cephalanthera damasonium (Mill.) Druce in Eumediterranean evergreen vegetation in Croatia. The patches of the Eumediterranean zone in the most northerly finding area (Istria) cannot be seen due to the size of the map. Nat. Croat. Vol. 21(1), 2012 249 Fig. 2. Cephalanthera damasonium (Mill.) Druce on the island of Mljet (photo: V. [egota) Fig. 3. Habitat of the Cephalanthera damasonium (Mill.) Druce on the island of Mljet (photo: V. [egota) 1986; RAU[, 1995; [ILI] & [OLI], 2002; MILOVI], 2002). This zone is characterized by a deciduous forest vegetation developing in more humid and cooler climate conditions than in the Eumediterranean zone. In the early studies of the littoral evergreen 250 [egota, V. et al.: Cephalanthera damasonium (Mill.) Druce in Mediterranean evergreen vegetation vegetation along the Croatian part of the Adriatic coast (HORVATI], 1958; 1963) the species was not recorded. Island populations of C. damasonium are extremely rare and limited to the northern Adriatic islands. Thus, the species was discovered to date only on four islands in Kvarner Bay (Krk, Cres, Lo{inj and Rab) (HIRC, 1913; [UGAR, 1967; VÖTH & LÖSCHL, 1978; [EGULJA & RAU[, 1993; HERTEL & HERTEL, 2003; STARMÜLLER, 2005). The island of Krk belongs almost completely to the deciduous sub-Mediterranean vegetation zone, with only a few spots of evergreen Eumediterranean vegetation on its eastern coast. Since the exact finding spot of C. damasonium on the island of Krk (TOMMASINI in HIRC, 1913) is unknown, we can assume that the plant was most likely found in the dominant, deciduous forest vegetation type on the island. Moreover, VÖTH & LÖSCHL (1978) found this species at a few localities in Istria and Kvarner Bay, including the island of Krk, »in der Zone der sommergrünen, mesophilen Laubwälder und auch in Überlappungsgebieten dieses Biotop mit der Zone der sommergrünen, submediterranen Wälder und Buschwälder…«. However, recent investigation of evergreen vegetation of the island of Krk (TRINAJSTI] 2007) did not record this species. The old finding spots on the island of Cres (near the town of Beli and in the Bay of Pi{kel) (HIRC, 1913) belong to the sub-Mediterranean vegetation zone as well. Moreover, while investigating stands of sweet chestnut (Castanea sativa Mill.) on the island of Cres, ANI] (1953) found C. damasonium at two localities (Pacijevi and Merag). The species was recorded in two relevés with only a few specimens in stands dominated by sweet chestnut, pubescent oak (Quercus pubescens Willd.) and turkey oak (Quercus cerris L.). More recently, HERTEL & HERTEL (2003) found the species in the sub-Mediterranean deciduous forests of the northern and central part of the island (near [tivan, Valun, Orlec, Beli, Belej, Orlec and Lubenice). They found C. damasonium to be less rare, and often growing together with Cephalanthera longifolia (L) K. Fritsch. North of the village of Lubenice C. damasonium was recorded also by STARMÜLLER (2005) in a pubescent oak dominated forest. On the island of Rab the species was found on Kalifront peninsula at the locality Petrovka in forest dominated by the evergreen oak (ass. Fraxino orni-Quercetum ilicis Horvati} (1956) 1958) ([EGULJA & RAU[, 1993). The above-mentioned paper provided a complete list of protected species found on all vegetation permanent plots in Croatia, but in the relevé from the same plot published later (RAU[, 1995) this orchid was not present. Neither HORVATI] (1963) nor MATI] et al. (1976) had recorded this species in the evergreen forests of Rab before. On the island of Lo{inj C. damasonium was found on the eastern slopes of the mountain of Osor~ica (near Veli Tr`i}) in a mixed evergreen and deciduous forest (ass. Fraxino orni-Quercetum ilicis quercetosum pubescentis [ugar 1967) ([UGAR, 1967). Here, local topography causes cooler and more humid microclimate conditions, and therefore a number of deciduous elements penetrate into the typical Mediterranean evergreen vegetation of the island. In two floristically poor relevés in which Quercus ilex is less abundant than Quercus pubescens and Fraxinus ornus, this orchid was recorded with low abundances (less than five specimens per relevé). As in Lo{inj, there is a single locality of C. damasonium in evergreen vegetation in Istra (Kontija Protected Forest in Limski kanal, W Istra) where a single specimen in the mixed evergreen and deciduous forest (As. Fraxino orni-Quercetum illicis carpinetosum orientalis Bari}evi} et [api} 2011) was found (BARI]EVI] & [API], 2011). Other Nat. Croat. Vol. 21(1), 2012 251 researchers into the evergreen vegetation of Istria (TRINAJSTI] & [UGAR, 1976; [EGULJA & BEDALOV, 1987; TRINAJSTI], 1995) did not confirm the presence of C. damasonium in this type of vegetation. Furthermore, on the list of orchids of Istria, the islands of Krk, Cres and Lo{inj (KERSCHBAUMSTEINER et al., 2002), C. damasonium is mentioned, but the list does not provide either the data on the particular locality, or the type of vegetation. Moreover, in »Flora von Istrien« (STARMÜLLER, 1998) this species is mentioned only for Mt. ]i}arija, Mt. U~ka and Rijeka, which are all localities characterized by deciduous vegetation. In addition, one specimen of the species was found in 1997 in the town of [ibenik (Dalmatia) at the locality [ubi}evac Park Forest (MILOVI], 2002) in planted Aleppo pine forest with evergreen elements of Q. ilex forests in underbrush (MILOVI], pers. comm.) representing its southernmost finding spot in evergreen vegetation in Croatian inland. To summarize, the only localities of C. damasonium in the evergreen Eumediterranean vegetation zone of Croatia are Rab, Lo{inj, Limski kanal (Istria) and the town of [ibenik. Additionally, the locality on Rab is dubious, Lo{inj includes records of only few individuals and for Limski kanal and [ibenik only one individual is recorded. So far, C. damasonium has not been recorded on the Central and Southern Dalmatian islands, where evergreen vegetation is predominant. During comprehensive flora mapping of Mljet National Park in the period from 2008 to 2011, a number of orchid species were discovered, out of which some were recorded for the first time for the park and the island. One of the interesting findings was undoubtedly that of the species Cephalanthera damasonium, normally a typical and frequent species of deciduous forests in the continental part of Croatia. Here, the two populations along the hiking path called »Put po Vrsima« were discovered (1/64 MTB fields 3270231 and 3270142) at the elevation of approximately 300 m a. s. l. The specimens were recorded on the edges of evergreen vegetation that can be described as either low forest or high maquis dominated by Quercus ilex (ass. Fraxino orni-Quercetum illicis). Thereby, the populations found here are characterized as photophile – finding optimum conditions on woodland edges, rather than sciaphile – in closed habitats. Noticed on 5th May 2010, all species were found in bloom and in good condition. However, since they grow on wood edges along the hiking path, the chance of trampling is rather high. The finding of the species C. damasonium on the island of Mljet is the first note of this species on the Dalmatian Islands. From the phytogeographic point of view, this finding is even more interesting if we consider the fact that the closest other island finding spots are 300 km to the north, in Kvarner Bay. In comparison to other four finding spots in evergreen Eumediterranean vegetation (Lo{inj, Rab, Limski kanal, [ibenik), where only a few specimens were found, the populations on Mljet are probably the largest in the evergreen vegetation in Croatia. Given the fact that light conditions in Eumediterranean evergreen vegetation are not favorable for most underbrush plants, the lack of any orchid species in this type of wood and shrubland would be expected. Therefore, they can be found here only at woodland edges. The occasional presence of some continental mesophilous species, such as C. damasonium, in Mediterranean evergreen vegetation is most probably due to relatively high air and soil humidity and lower temperatures maintained locally as a result of constant 252 [egota, V. et al.: Cephalanthera damasonium (Mill.) Druce in Mediterranean evergreen vegetation shadiness. In addition, the mean annual precipitation on the western part of the island is around 1000 mm (PER^EC TADI], 2008), which is a relatively high value for the Eumediterranean vegetation zone. Furthermore, in comparison to the surrounding environment, the finding spots of the species on the island of Mljet are characterized by comparatively deeper soil. C. damasonium requires similar specific ecological conditions (increased humidity and precipitation, deeper soil, wider shadiness) in sub-Mediteranean deciduous forests as well (VÖTH & LÖSCHL, 1978; ANI], 1953; [UGAR, 1967). Due to the enormous degradation of the Mediterranean evergreen forests in Croatian Littoral during the last two thousand years, the area of this vegetation type in Croatia has greatly decreased. The rare finding spots of the C. damasonium in Q. ilex dominated forests could be therefore additionally explained by the rarity of this kind of forest vegetation in Croatia. In Italy, for example, these forests are much more distributed, reaching sometimes more than 1000 m a. s. (BLASI, 2010). Hence, although much more common in beech-dominated forests, C. damasonium is not rare in Q. ilex-dominated forests (GUARINO, pers. comm.). In short, the occurrence of the mesophilous species C. damasonium in evergreen forests dominated by Quercus ilex in Croatia is extremely rare and occasional. Very little was found in the literature on the question of the occurrence of this taxon in similar associations in the Mediterranean. Its origin in this type of vegetation is not known; nevertheless its existence in xerophytic conditions could be possibly explained by the relatively sufficient amounts of humidity maintained in shadiness of evergreen forests, required for the survival of this species. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The field research was carried out in the context of the project »Flora of Mljet NP« financed by Mljet National Park. The authors wish to thank Milenko Milovi} for the detailed information about his finding of Cephalanthera damasonium in the town of [ibenik, Nina Vukovi} for critical reading and helpful suggestions and Inga Schmiedel for her help in finding the references. Received December 5, 2011 REFERENCES BAUMANN, H., KÜNKELE, S. & LORENZ, R., 2006: Orchideen Europas mit angrenzenden Gebieten. Ulmer Naturführer. BLAMEY, M. & GREY-WILSON, C., 2004: Wild Flowers of the Mediterranean. A Complete Guide to the Islands and Coastal Regions. 2. ed. A & C Black. London. BLASI, C., 2010: La Vegetazione d’Italia. Palombi & Partner S. r. l. Roma. DELFORGE, P., 2006: Orchids of Europe, North Africa and Middle East. Timber Press. Portland. GOELTZ, P. & REINCHARD, H., 1986: Orchideen in Jugoslawien. Ein Beitrag zur Kenntnis der Orchideenflora des Balkans. Mitt. Bl. Arbeitskr. Heim. Orch. Baden-Würt. 18(4), 689–827. HERTEL, S. & K. HERTEL, 2003: Die Orchideen der Inseln Cres und Lo{inj. Mitt. Bl. Arbeitskr. 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Beitr. 10 (2), 369–430. 254 [egota, V. et al.: Cephalanthera damasonium (Mill.) Druce in Mediterranean evergreen vegetation S A @ E TA K Cephalanthera damasonium (Mill.) Druce u mediteranskoj vazdazelenoj vegetaciji V. [egota, V. Hr{ak & A. Alegro Cephalanthera damasonium je ~esta {umska vrsta bre`uljkastog, brdskog i gorskog pojasa kontinentalne Hrvatske. U Mediteranu pak dolazi gotovo isklju~ivo u listopadnim {umama submediteranske vegetacijske zone. No, poznata su i ~etiri nalazi{ta u eumediteranskoj vazdazelenoj vegetaciji: dva kopnena ({uma Kontija u Limskom kanalu, Park {uma [ubi}evac u [ibeniku) te dva oto~na (poluotok Kalifront na Rabu, planina Osor~ica na Lo{inju). Nalazi{te na Rabu je dvojbeno, a ostale karakterizira jak utjecaj okolne listopadne vegetacije i mali broj zabilje`enih jedinki. Tijekom floristi~kih istra`ivanja Nacionalnog parka Mljet u razdoblju od 2008. do 2011. vrsta je zabilje`ena u sklopu visoke makije crnike na dva lokaliteta uzdu` planinarskog puta »Put po Vrsima«. Otok Mljet time postaje najju`nije nalazi{te ove vrste u Hrvatskoj, te jedino na dalmatinskim otocima. Neo~ekivano pojavljivanje tipi~ne kontinentalne orhideje unutar kserofitske mediteranske vegetacije obja{njeno je visokom koli~inom oborine u zapadnom dijelu otoka Mljeta (1000 mm/god.), dubokim tlom te specifi~nim ekolo{kim uvjetima unutar vazdazelenih crnikovih sastojina (relativno visoka vla`nost zraka i tla, ni`e temperature, visoka zasjenjenost). Zbog iznimne rijetkosti crnikovih {uma na isto~nojadranskoj obali, ostaje otvoreno pitanje da li bi ova vrsta bila ~e{}a kada bi te {ume bile rasprostranjenije. Slu~aj na Mljetu ukazuje na ~injenicu da humidnije varijante ovih {uma ponekad mogu podr`avati i mezofilne vrste poput ove orhideje.