Nigritella widderi Teppner & E. Klein, a new species in the flora of Slovenia

Abstract

In the Julian Alps, on the mountain pasture Klek on the Pokljuka plateau and in the Triglav mountains (Lazovški preval, Ogradi, Mišelj vrh, Koštrunovec) we discovered orchids of the genus Nigritella with pale pink flowers. Based on their colour and the shape of the inflorescence, the structure of a single flower and their flowering period we determined them as Nigritella widderi. This eastern-Alpine-Apennine species is a novelty in the flora of both the Julian Alps and the Southeastern Alps in general. We described its sites and made a phytosociological table to present the communities of alpine swards on calcareous bedrock, which are host also to some other species from the genus Nigritella, especially Nigritella bicolor.