E. tremolsii: The Orchid Conquering the Padern and Montgaillard mining zone

I had the opportunity to participate in a field trip organized by the Grup Mineralògic Català (GMC) to the unique mining area of Padern and Montgaillard. Although the main objective was mineralogical exploration (you can see the full chronicle at https://infominer.minercat.com/2025/07/08/sortida-del-gmc-a-la-zona-minera-de-padern-i-montgaillard/), nature always holds unexpected surprises.

The botanical find of the day was the Epipactis tremolsii. We located numerous specimens of this beautiful orchid in different stages of growth and flowering, demonstrating its robustness and its capacity for adaptation to xeric habitats, as indicated by the literature.

The most fascinating part was seeing how life makes its way even in the most altered environments. While some specimens grew protected in the dry undergrowth near the paths, others dared to colonize the mine waste heaps of the old mines! This orchid demonstrates a remarkable edaphic indifference, thriving both in more natural soils and in the mining debris substrates. It was an observation that perfectly combines geology and botany in the same landscape.