Fragrant orchid
Gymnadenia conopsea
Family: Orchidaceae
Fire effect on plant
Fires during the growing season may cause mortality, but fires outside the growing season will likely have little impact on this species.
Key traits
The fragrant orchid is a non-bulbous perennial herb. The main perennating organ is a belowground tuber. Each year, the tuber is wholly replaced by a new tuber, from which the functional plant arises in the following growing season. Leaves emerge in spring, and flowering takes place between the end of June and the beginning of August (Meekers et al, 2012).
This species requires high light, and performs best in vegetation that is kept short, and where the litter layer is thin (Meekers et al, 2012).
High quantities of seed are dispersed by the wind, achieving considerable dispersal distances (10–500m; Lososová et al, 2023). Seedling recruitment requires open patches.
Plant response to fire
The fragrant orchid will likely benefit from fires outside the growth season, where damage to the plant is likely negligible, and in which there are improvements in light availability, reductions in competition and the potential removal of litter material. Fires during the spring and summer, which consume biomass, are likely to severely damage this species, causing declines in vigour and potentially mortality, although this is not specifically described in the literature.
Timing of life history
Perennial species. Seeds can be produced from 2-6 years depending upon the site productivity. Flowering May to July.
Conservation status
None.
References
Lososová Z., Axmanová I., Chytrý M., Midolo G., Abdulhak S., Karger D.N., Renaud J., Van Es J., Vittoz P. & Thuiller W. 2023. Seed dispersal distance classes and dispersal modes for the European flora. Global Ecology and Biogeography, 32(9), 1485–1494 [Empirical evidence; Academic literature]
Meekers, T., Hutchings, M.J., Honnay, O. and Jacquemyn, H. (2012), Biological Flora of the British Isles: Gymnadenia conopsea s.l.. J Ecol, 100: 1269-1288 [Empirical evidence; Academic literature]