Gymnadenia nigra
Local name: Gymnadénie noire, Gymnadénia noir, Nigritelle noire, Orchis vanille
Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gymnadenia_nigra
Overview
Gymnadenia nigra, also known as the black vanilla orchid, is a species of orchid and the provincial flower of Jämtland, a historical province of Sweden. It is a perennial species found in the major mountain ranges of Europe, including the Pyrenees and the Alps, into the Balkans and central Scandinavia, though its population has declined in the past decades due to over-harvesting. In some countries, including Italy, it is listed as an endangered species.
It has a maximum height of 25 cm.
Gymnadenia nigra is declining primarily due to habitat loss and degradation of its specialized alpine and subalpine grassland environments. Climate change poses an additional significant threat as warming temperatures force this cold-adapted species to retreat to higher elevations with increasingly limited suitable habitat.
Other threatened species in Orchidaceae
Frequently asked questions
Why is Gymnadénie noire, Gymnadénia noir, Nigritelle noire, Orchis vanille classified as Endangered?
Where does Gymnadénie noire, Gymnadénia noir, Nigritelle noire, Orchis vanille live?
What are the main threats to Gymnadénie noire, Gymnadénia noir, Nigritelle noire, Orchis vanille?
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