Epipactis helleborine, the broad-leaved helleborine, is a terrestrial species of orchid with a broad distribution. It is a long lived herb which varies morphologically with ability to self-pollinate.
Description Epipactis helleborine can grow to a maximum height of or more under good conditions, and has broad dull green leaves which are strongly ribbed and flat.General Morphology and Anatomy of Chlorophyll-free and Green Forms of Epipactis helleborine The flowers are arranged in long drooping racemes with dull green sepals and shorter upper petals. The lower labellum is pale red and is much shorter than the upper petals.Webb, D.A., Parnell, J. and Doogue, D . 1996. An Irish Flora. Dundalgan Press (W. Tempest) Ltd. Dundalk.
Achlorophyllous, white Epipactis helleborine plants have been found. Achlorophyllous forms tend to be shorter, as small as 17 cm.
Flowering occurs June–September.First Nature - Epipactis Helleborine
Taxonomy Epipactis helleborine was given the scientific name Serapias helleborine by Carl Linnaeus in 1753. The botanist Heinrich Johann Nepomuk von Crantz moved the species to Epipactis in 1769 giving the species its accepted name. It is classified as a member of the family Orchidaceae.
Subspecies Over 100 names have been proposed for subspecies, varieties and forms of Epipactis helleborine. However, according the Plants of the World Online there are just four accepted subspecies and one variety:
Epipactis helleborine subsp. bithynica (Robatsch) Kreutz – Turkey, Caucasus Epipactis helleborine subsp. helleborine – widespread Epipactis helleborine subsp. neerlandica (Verm.) Buttler – Great Britain, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Belgium, Netherlands, France, Germany Epipactis helleborine var. tangutica (Schltr.) S.C.Chen & G.H.Zhu – China Epipactis helleborine subsp. tremolsii (Pau) E.Klein – France, Spain, Portugal, Sardinia, Italy, Algeria, Morocco
It has synonyms of the species or one of its lower taxa.