Ca: orquídia de prat
Synonyms:
- Anacamptis palustris subsp. robusta (T.Stephenson) R.M.Bateman, Pridgeon & M.W.Chase in Lindleyana 12: 120 (1997)
- Herorchis robusta (T.Stephenson) D.Tyteca & E.Klein in J. Eur. Orch. 40: 540 (2008)
- Orchis laxiflora subsp. robusta (T.Stephenson) H.Sund. in Europ. Medit. Orchid., ed. 3: 40 (1980)
- Orchis palustris subsp. robusta (T.Stephenson) Kreutz in Kompend. Eur. Orchid.: 128 (2004)
- Orchis palustris var. robusta T.Stephenson in J. Bot. 69: 179 (1931)
- Orchis robusta (T.Stephenson) Gölz & H.R.Reinhard in Ber. Schweiz. Bot. Ges. 85: 288 (1975 publ. 1976)
- Paludorchis robusta (T.Stephenson) P.Delforge in Naturalistes Belges 90: 25 (2009)
Family: ORCHIDACEAE
Distribution: Mallorca (S’Albufera Natural Park), northern Algeria to Tunisia.
Conservation status: Listed in the Balearic Catalogue of Endangered Species, classified as Critically Endangered.
Phenology: From late March to early May. Fruits from May to June.
Life form: geophyte
Habitat: Humid environments of the S’Albufera Natural Park, meadows with Cladium mariscus, canal edges, or areas where water accumulates seasonally. It requires alkaline soils rich in organic matter. It is very sensitive to changes in water regimes, canal obstruction, and climate change.
This orchid is the largest species of this family found in the Balearic Islands, reaching up to 80 cm in height. It was discovered in Mallorca’s Albufera in the late 1990s and is an African relict from a time when ecological connections existed between Africa and the western Mediterranean. It had previously been confused with Anacamptis palustris, a smaller orchid with looser, lighter lilac inflorescences. Anacamptis robusta has purple flowers with a broader and more divided labellum. It prefers warmer, seasonal wet habitats, whereas Anacamptis palustris prefers more permanent wet meadows.
Since its discovery, S’Albufera Park has conducted annual monitoring, tagging adult individuals and controlling invasive species. Some specimens are cultivated at the Botanic Garden, currently in bloom, and seeds have been stored in the germplasm bank since 2012.
This species is endangered due to potential habitat destruction, but also due to its reproductive challenges, as it is difficult to germinate and juvenile plants are rarely found.
Interestingly, in 2004, botanist Richard Bateman, an expert in orchid phylogenetics and evolution, described a hybrid between the meadow orchid and Anacamptis fragrans, which he named Anacamptis × albuferensis. The presence of hybrids can represent both a threat and an opportunity from a conservation perspective. On one hand, hybridization can endanger the genetic integrity of Anacamptis robusta, a rare and protected species, especially if the hybrids are fertile and compete with the parent species for resources or pollinators. This could lead to dilution of A. robusta‘s adaptive traits. On the other hand, in a context of rapid environmental change, hybridization may also serve as a source of genetic variability, enabling new adaptive combinations that could enhance population resilience. Therefore, it is essential to study this hybrid in detail and assess its ecological and reproductive behavior before making management decisions.
Orchids are a great example of how hybridization can function not only as a threat to genetic purity but also as a key evolutionary tool in the generation of new life forms.
