Early Bloom of Cephalanthera damasonium in Garrotxa

This Sunday, April 26th, our field day took us through the Garrotxa and La Selva counties. During this exploration, we had the opportunity to document the finding of Cephalanthera damasonium, commonly known as the White helleborine, in Garrotxa.

This geophyte orchid, distinguished by its creamy-white flowers that characteristically almost never open fully (connivent), was observed in one of the areas investigated. While its typical flowering period generally extends from May to July, this late April observation suggests that the specimens were in their initial stages of floral development or just beginning to bloom. The presence of leafy bracts usually longer than the flower and the ovary, and its broad leaves (ovate to lanceolate), are key traits that allow for its identification and differentiate it from its sibling, C. longifolia.

C. damasonium is a species adapted to shady and humid forest environments, such as beech, holm oak, and pine forests, with a preference for calcareous soils. This adaptation includes its ability for self-pollination, often through cleistogamy. This discovery in Garrotxa provides valuable data on the local distribution and phenology of this intriguing orchid.