Orchids
Red helleborine
Cephalanthera rubra
Red Helleborine is an extremely rare and endangered orchid known only from
three sites in the UK. It also occurs in parts of Europe,
where it is considered vulnerable. It inhabits deciduous
woodland and requires chalky, alkaline soils.
It is a long-lived perennial with long, thin, dark-green
leaves and produces up to 12 pink or pinky-purple
flowers in June or July on a single long spike. However,
the plant may take several years from germination until the
first leaves are produced, and over ten years until flowering.
Red helleborine is classified as Critically Endangered in Great Britain
and fully protected under Schedule 8 of the Wildlife and
Countryside Act, 1981. Careful habitat management is undertaken
at the three UK sites, to preserve favourable growing
conditions and to protect individual plants from destruction
by herbivores such as slugs and rabbits, and by humans.
Kew has been working with English Nature to assess the genetic variability
of wild populations, and to research improved methods of
germination and propagation with a view to conserving the
species and for potential reintroduction.
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See also
Search
Kew's electronic Plant Information Centre for scientific
information about Cephalanthera rubra
External link: species profile on the Arkive website
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