Broadleaf dremlik. Epipactis helleborine (L.) Crantz

Kira Stoletova

The varieties included in the genus of dremliks exceed 250 representatives, which grow mainly in temperate latitudes - in Eurasian, African and North American territories. The Russian flora has about 10 main species, among which the most common are the marsh napkin.

Botanical characteristics

The dremlik flower belongs to the perennial herbaceous plants belonging to the orchid family.

The foliage is numerous, green, oval or lanceolate in shape. The inflorescences are attached to the stem on twisted pedicels. The flowers are collected in racemose inflorescences. Depending on the species they have different colors.

The plant got its name because of its unique appearance. During the flowering period, the lower inflorescences are the first to bloom, and in the upper part of the dormant flower there are many “dormant” buds lowered downwards.

Among the main types:

• swamp,
• giant,
• small-leaved,
• purple,
• rusty,
• Royale flower,
• papillary,
• thunberg flower,
• hellebore,
• broadleaf.

Habitat: forests and mountain forest slopes. Most varieties are winter-hardy.

Bolotny

Dremlik marsh is one of the most commonly used plants for decorative purposes. The habitat is swampy forests, meadows and clearings. Often found on limestones near water springs. Prefers good lighting, withstanding excess and stagnation of moisture.

On the territory of Russia, the marsh dremlik is found in the Siberian, Central Asian, Transcaucasian regions and in the Crimea.

Height - up to 0.7 m. The foliage is oblong, length - up to 25cm. Inflorescences are formed by flowers of 6-20 pieces. The outer layer of leaves is greenish with purple stripes, the inner layer is white with pink stripes.

The description of the marsh dremlik contains information about its narcotic properties, which is explained by the presence of yeast fungi in it.

Flowering period is June-August. Dremlik marsh is widely used in decorative garden plantings in plant groups, on shores and in shallow waters.

Giant

The giant species grows near streams in mountainous areas. It grows in height by 0.3m-1.2m. The stem is strong. The foliage is numerous and abundant. Inflorescences are formed of 3-15 flowers, the outer petals of which are light yellow, the inner petals are orange-purple. The length of flower petals is up to 25cm. The flowering period is the first half of the summer season. Found its application in Dutch gardening.

small-leaved

One of the rare varieties. It grows in the shade of beech forests, in the middle of bush plantings, and in clearings. Stem height - from 17cm to 40cm. The inflorescences are formed in a one-sided raceme of 4-15 flowers, about 0.7 cm long, with a light clove aroma. The outer petals are oval-shaped, reddish in color, the inner ones are white-green. In Russia, it is found in the Crimea and the Caucasus.

The flowering period occurs in July. It actively begins to bloom when good lighting is created, in particular as a result of deforestation.

Purple

Habitat: forests and forest-steppes, including shaded hornbeams and oak forests. In most cases, it occurs singly, with 3-8 representatives each, which is explained by the weak reproduction process.

The purple representative is dependent on symbiont fungi, from which it consumes a significant portion of its nutrition.

The foliage is oblong or lanceolate, red on the inside. The stem is purple. The inflorescences are formed by long racemes of yellow and green flowers large sizes– up to 1.4 cm in length. Due to the reduced chlorophyll content, the surface of the leaf blades is often significantly reduced. There are representatives that are completely pink-purple in color.

Rusty

The rusty, or dark red, species is found among deciduous and coniferous trees, in bushy areas, on rocky slopes and sea dunes. Prefers limestone soils. The flowering period falls in August.

On Russian territory grows in the European part, Siberian and Caucasian regions.

Height - up to 0.6m. The stem is green or violet-lilac. The foliage is hard, oval, tapering at the ends, length - from 4 cm to 8 cm, dark green on the outside, bluish-violet on the inside. The length of the inflorescences is up to 0.2 m, formed by one-sided racemes of dark purple flowers with a vanilla aroma. Included in the Red Book.

Dremlik Royale

Royle's flower grows among deciduous forests, in willow and birch forests, reeds, in damp swampy areas, near streams, on rocky slopes.

Found in Central Asia and in Russian Altai.

It grows in height from 0.3 to 0.9 m. The foliage is abundant, large, up to 12-18 cm long and 3-7 cm wide. The inflorescences are formed by sparse, few-flowered racemes of brown-green outer and pinkish inner ones.

Papillary

The papillary species prefers shaded coniferous, mixed and broad-leaved forests.

Stem up to 0.75 m tall. The foliage is abundant, elliptical in shape, tapering at the ends, length 7-12cm, width 2-4cm. The stem, leaves and bracts are covered with small white papillae.

It grows in the Russian Primorye and Amur regions, Kamchatka and Sakhalin.

8-11 flowers with green outer petals and pink inner petals form a rare inflorescence. Flowering period is July-August.

Thunberg flower

The second most popular decorative flower of Thunberg is found in meadow areas with high humidity.

The grooved stem is tall, up to 0.9 m tall. The foliage is lanceolate-ovate, pointed at the ends, up to 16 cm long. inflorescences formed rare flowers, 2-10 pieces, 3.3 cm long. The outer layer of the flowers is brown-green, the inner layer is yellow with a purple midrib.

On the territory of Russia it grows in the Far East.

Most often found in small groups, but in some cases it is possible to observe large clusters. The flowering period falls in July.

Hellebore

The hellebore variety grows near the Caucasian mountain rivers. The height reaches 1.0 m. The foliage is large, up to 20cm in length and up to 4cm in width. The inflorescence is straight and one-sided, formed by 6-20 green-purple flowers.

Flowering period: first half to mid-summer.

Cuckoo's tears

Conclusion

The herbaceous plant dremlik has many species in its family. Some of them are found in Russia. Used for decorative purposes.

Broadleaf dremlik belongs to the herbaceous perennial plants of the orchid family. The most numerous species of its genus. Natural range - European part of Russia, Crimea, Caucasus, Siberia, Central Asia, Iran.

Description of the broad-leaved napkin

Grows in mixed and deciduous forests with low light. There are no complaints about the soil; any soil is suitable. Has a thick root. Height is about 1 m. The stem is erect, with an upper branch. Scarce on leaf framing. The leaves are oval in shape, up to 10 cm long. The inflorescence is clustered, with a large number flowers of a greenish-purple hue.

Source: Depositphotos

Dremlik latifolia is considered a rare orchid

Bracts lanceolate. As you can see in the photo of the broad-leaved napkin, the lip is low-lying, surrounded by petals. There is a transverse division into two parts: concave at the back, biconvex at the front. Emits a pleasant sweetish aroma. Blooms from July to August.

Reproduction

Propagated mainly by seeds and vegetation. The fruit contains up to 4.5 thousand seeds. One individual produces about 3–9 fruit pods. The germination rate is quite high. The sprout lives and develops underground for up to 9 years. Then young foliage makes its way out. At the same time, active growth of the rhizome occurs.

Flowering begins in the 11th year after sowing, from July to September. The dremlika flower does not know peace for several years in a row. Pollinated by bees and other insects. Capable of self-seeding.

Due to its strong and long rhizome, it can survive in any soil. Not prone to rapid growth.

For cultivation in the country, some rules are followed:

• Moist soil with minimal organic matter is suitable. Dremlik does not require any care at all, only it does not tolerate drought. Does not react in any way to excess humidity.
• It is advisable to choose dark places or with diffused light. There are species that love direct sunlight. On particularly hot days they need protection.
• Regular and abundant watering is required. Otherwise, a stopper in flowering occurs. The opening of the bud occurs gradually: first the lower petals, later the upper ones.
• Planting is done in the spring, in a mulched base. Then there will be no need for weeding in the future.
• Organic fertilizers are strictly contraindicated. Complex mineral compositions are preferred.

Doesn't need a transplant. It can grow in one place for several decades. If such a need arises, it can easily take root in another place. When propagated by cuttings, flowering occurs the following year.

In the wild, it is difficult to find the broad-leaved nappet. This is a rare type of orchid. A distinctive feature is the constantly lowered color head.

There are about 70 species of dremlik, which are found in temperate and subtropical zones of America, Asia and Europe. Dremlik is named so due to its drooping, seemingly “dormant” flowers. The genus includes perennial herbaceous rhizomatous plants with an inflorescence in the form of a straight raceme, consisting of rather large greenish, purple, and less often whitish-yellowish drooping flowers. The flower consists of 6 free petals arranged in two circles. Lip without a spur. It is divided in the middle by a deep notch into 2 lobes - cup-shaped and concave, secreting nectar, and almost flat, bent downwards.

Dark red nappet (Epipactis atrorubens (Hoffm. ex Bernh.) Schult.)

Description of appearance:
Flowers: Raceme 7-20 cm long, with a densely pubescent axis. The flowers are dark purple. All tepals (except the lip) are converging, the outer ones are finely pubescent; the posterior lobe of the lip is oval, with a wide anterior entrance, the anterior one is heart-shaped or fasciculate, bluntly serrated along the edge.
Leaves: The stem bears 5-9 oval-lanceolate, pointed leaves.
Height: 25-60 cm.
Stem: The upper half is fluffy, violet-colored.
Underground part: With shortened rhizome.
Blooms in July, bears fruit in August.
Lifespan: Perennial.
Habitat: Dark red dremlik grows on forest slopes, often on calcareous soil and on moist sandy sediments along river valleys.
Prevalence: Distributed almost everywhere in Europe, the Caucasus and Asia Minor. In Russia - in the European part and in Western Siberia. In Central Russia it is found mainly in the southern and western regions.
Addition: It reproduces vegetatively, forming small patches, and by seeds.

Broad-leaved dreamer (Epipactis helleborine (L.) Crantz)

Description of appearance:
Flowers: Raceme 10-40 cm long, multi-flowered. The outer tepals are greenish, the inner ones are pale green, and the lower half is pinkish. The back of the lip is rounded, hemispherical-sac-shaped, curved, red-dark brown, greenish on the outside; the anterior part of the lip is broadly heart-shaped, ovate, greenish-pale purple, slightly pointed.
Leaves: Leaves number 4-10, oval or elliptical, lanceolate, glabrous.
Height: 35-100 cm.
Stem: Scattered pubescent above.
Underground part: With shortened rhizome.
Flowering and fruiting time: Blooms in June-July; bears fruit in July-August.
Lifespan: Perennial.
Habitat: Broadleaf dremlik grows in shady deciduous and mixed forests and damp meadows, preferring places with open vegetation cover.
Prevalence: Distributed in Europe, the Caucasus, Asia Minor and Central Asia, China and Japan. In Russia it is found almost everywhere in the European part (except for the southeast) and in Siberia.
Addition: Propagated by seeds.

Swamp napper (Epipactis palustris (L.) Crantz)

Description of appearance:
Flowers: Flowers are collected in a fairly sparse raceme 6-15 (up to 20) cm long. The outer tepals are greenish, with vague dirty purple spots on the inside, the inner ones are whitish with faint purple-pink stripes in the lower half. The back of the lip is slightly concave, pinkish-white on the outside, with pink-violet veins and orange warts on the inside, the front is broadly oval, white, with a wavy, rounded-toothed edge and pink veins; the posterior and anterior lips are separated by a narrow bridge.
Leaves: Leaves are oblong or oblong-lanceolate, glabrous, up to 15 cm long.
Height: 20-50(70) cm.
Stem: Slightly hairy in the upper half.
Underground part: With creeping rhizome.
Flowering and fruiting time: Blooms in July-August; bears fruit in August-September.
Lifespan: Perennial.
Habitat: Swamp dremlik grows in damp swampy meadows and the edges of swampy forests.
Prevalence: Distributed in Europe, the Caucasus, Asia Minor and Central Asia, Iran. In Russia, almost throughout the entire European part, including in all Central Russian regions (usually in the northern ones), and in Siberia. Rare.
Addition: Propagated by seeds and vegetatively.

In our divine nature, beauty and fairy tale are always nearby. You want to touch some plants carefully and tenderly, because they are so fragile. Thus, the marsh nappet is listed in the Red Book. And for good reason. This is a plant that grows in a swamp, hence the appropriate name. Every year the wild appearance of this plant is becoming more and more reduced, but they have learned to cultivate it and use it to decorate rocky hills.

In another way, it is also called the northern orchid, because it is a small copy of the indoor beauty, only it lives in the wild. I would like to get to know this better herbaceous plant of the Orchid family - marsh nappet.

The Legend of the Northern Orchid

There is one very beautiful legend about the marsh napper. It talks about one handsome and stately hunter. All the girls fell in love with him, but he was unapproachable. One day in the forest he met an amazing beauty in a dress made of thin blades of grass and petals. On her head was a wreath of pine branches. She and the hunter fell in love with each other.

Often the young man began to go into the forest and returned without prey. This oddity became noticeable even to the villagers. One day one of the village girls followed the hunter and saw him with a forest beauty. The angry girl decided to outwit the guy; she took a sleeping potion from the healer and gave it to the hunter. He fell asleep so soundly that he could not go to meet his beloved, who was waiting for him in the thicket of the forest.

The forest beauty found him sleeping near a tree and began to wake him up, but he was only fast asleep, his lower lip sticking out. The beauty was the mistress of the forest and possessed great charms. Offended by her lover, she decided to turn him into a flower. The shape of the flower resembled an open throat. But the forest mistress did not leave her beloved hunter. Often she turned into a golden bee, flew to a flower and drank fragrant nectar from its lips. Isn't it beautiful?

Description of broadleaf plant

This species was first described by Carl Linnaeus and named Serapias Longifolia. But this name was soon declared illegal, and Philip Miller gave the definition of Serapias palustris.

What does this grass look like that grows in the swamp? These are herbaceous bushes 30-70 cm in height. They are distinguished by a long, stolon-shaped, branched, creeping rhizome with adventitious roots.

Upper part The stem is slightly pubescent and has a light green or pinkish tint. The arrangement of the leaves is regular. They have an oblong-lanceolate, pointed shape, up to 20 cm long. At the top, the leaves are already small, similar to bracts.

Flower shape

It is important to note that young plants do not bloom; flowers appear only after eleven years of life. The inflorescence has the shape of a brush. Each of them contains from six to 20 flowers with bracts. Anyone familiar with orchids will immediately imagine the shape of this flower. It has a protruding elongated lip without a spur.

The petals are folded and wrinkled, divided into two parts. They are white in color with purple veins. But there is also a dark red marsh nappet, the description of which you will see below. The flowers have six petals of different shapes and bright colors with graceful frills and specks. The heads of the flowers, lowered down, seem to be dozing, waiting for the moment of pollination.

Pollination methods

The flowers have a straight, drooping ovary. The nectar of the marsh dremlik has an intoxicating property. It attracts insects for pollination. Small creatures are the main means and method of pollination. Bumblebees, wasps, and ants often land on the plant. But sometimes self-pollination occurs. Flowering period - June-July. The seeds ripen in September and have a dusty form. The plant can reproduce by seeds or root division. One ripe capsule can contain about 3000 dust particles.

There are two main types of dremlik: wintering and dark red. We have described to you the flowers of the winter species.

Habitat

Where does the marsh nappet live? He loves the outskirts of swamps, forest glades, groundwater outlets, thawed areas, limestones, swampy forests, and damp meadows. Sometimes it can even be found in ditches and along the sides of highways and railways. Prefers neutral and alkaline soils. Its habitat is Western Europe, Scandinavia, Iran, the Himalayas, and the Mediterranean Asia Minor. It is also found in the latitudes of North America, Africa, and Eurasia. In Russia, it grows in the Caucasus, Western and Eastern Siberia. It can also be found in Crimea. The plant loves light very much and is rarely found in shade.

Dark Red Dremlik

The dark purple Dremlik is a beautiful miniature orchid. These flowers grow near the banks of the Ural River Vagran. A small reserve has been formed here. People come here in July to admire the dark red bouquets. Long roots allow the plant to gain a foothold even on rocky cliffs.

Dark red dremlik also grows in the Sverdlovsk region, sometimes found in Tyumen, Chelyabinsk regions, Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug, Ulyanovsk region. It also grows in Ukraine, Belarus and the Baltic states. In July, the dark red slumber has a sweetish vanilla scent, which attracts bees, wasps, bumblebees, and beetles thirsty for nectar. Thanks to them, the wild orchid is pollinated and then reproduces with ripe seeds.

Application in landscape design, care

Many gardeners and landscape designers use wild orchids as decorative ornaments. When planting, flower growers use fortified, slightly acidic water. The plant requires regular watering, weed control, and pest control, such as aphids. After fruiting is completed, vegetative propagation is carried out. The seed will germinate when a microscopic fungus gets on it. After this, the seedling rests in the soil for two years and is nourished by plant cells. Only after this does it begin to sprout above the ground.

Dremlik is often planted by dividing the root. To do this, part of the root system is separated and planted in open, dark areas. For the winter, the bushes are covered with leaves and covered with earth so that the root system does not freeze. The attractiveness of the marsh dormant lies in the pubescent stem part, bright inflorescences with long bracts. With its exquisite beauty, the plant is a fragile element of the ecosystem.

In addition to decorative purposes, people use the marsh moth as a medicinal plant. Marsh orchid is used to stimulate sexual impotence. Once upon a time, a wild orchid decoction was prepared from the plant. It tones the central nervous system, strengthens the body, prevents cancer, and relieves toothache. Unfortunately, the northern orchid is listed in the Red Book. The disappearance of this species is especially associated with land reclamation. People should take care of and protect the marsh napkin, because it is a rather rare plant!

Genus Dremlik (Epipactis)
Orchid family

(broad-leaved) (Epipactis helleborine (L.) Crantz) grows in shady mixed forests on humus-rich soils, in oak forests. The plant's flowers are much more modest than those of its tropical relatives or the lady's slipper, which grows in our forests. Broad-leaved dremlik blooms in June - July. When its flowers open, the ovary, and in some individuals the peduncle, in each flower rotates (twists) around its axis by 180°. And it turns out that initially the upper petal (in archidae it is in the shape of a lip) thus becomes the lower one.

quite widespread in the region. There are significant populations in Belgorodsky, Shebekinsky, Valuysky, Krasnogvardeysky and. Dremlik marsh(Epipactis palustris (L.) Crantz). A plant up to 70 cm high with a creeping rhizome and long internodes. The stem is slightly pubescent at the top, light green or pinkish. The leaves are numerous, alternate, oblong, up to 25 cm long. The upper leaves are smaller, similar to bracts.

The inflorescence is a raceme of 6-20 flowers, with long bracts. Flowers are up to 2.5 cm long, drooping, on twisted pedicels. The outer tepals are greenish with faint purple stripes, the inner ones are whitish with pink stripes. The lip is without a spur, oblong, divided by a deep transverse notch into 2 lobes: the anterior lobe is cup-shaped and concave, pinkish on the outside, with orange warts on the inside, secreting nectar; the posterior lobe is broadly oval, white, obtuse, slightly notched at the end, with a wavy edge, narrowed at the base into a bridge occupied by a tubercle, the lower edge of which is colored yellow. The ovary is straight, pubescent.

It reproduces both by seeds and vegetatively, forming numerous daughter plants at the ends of rhizomes. Swamp dremlik - one of the most decorative species of this genus - grows in light swampy forests, swampy forest glades, wet meadows, often around springs, mainly on limestone. It firmly holds the occupied territory, so it can be found in an unexpected place, but always on the site of former swamps. Prefers illuminated places, withstands excessive stagnant moisture and insufficient soil aeration.

This is important! Both species of dormouse are listed in the Red Book of the Belgorod Region as rare species(rarity status category III). Dremlik species reproduce primarily by seeds. Seed productivity is high. However, plants germinate only with the participation of a certain type of symbiotic fungi.

The seedling leads an underground lifestyle and only in the 5th-9th year does the first above-ground shoot appear. The plant blooms 10-11 years after seed germination. In this regard, plants cannot be replanted arbitrarily, even after digging them up with a large lump of soil. The mushroom will not tolerate such a replantation, and this will destroy the orchid. This should be remembered by those who definitely want to grow orchids in their home garden by transplanting them from a natural area.

This is interesting! Generic name of dremlik Epipactis was given by the “father of botany” - the ancient Greek scientist Theophrastus. When the lower flowers open, there are still many buds in the upper part of the inflorescence; they are lowered downwards, as if dozing, hence the name of the genus

.

Lit.: / Chernyavskikh V.I., Degtyar O.V., Degtyar A.V., Dumacheva E.V. - Belgorod.