Cephalanthera cucullata

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
PLANTAE	TRACHEOPHYTA	LILIOPSIDA	ORCHIDALES	ORCHIDACEAE

Scientific Name:	Cephalanthera cucullata
Species Authority:	Boiss. & Heldr.
Synonym/s:	Epipactis cucullata (Boiss. & Heildr. ex Rchb. fil.) Wettstein.

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:	Endangered B1ab(iii,v)+2ab(iii,v);C2a(i) ver 3.1
Year Published:	2011
Assessor/s:	Rankou, H.
Reviewer/s:	Fay, M. & Bilz, M.
Justification: European regional assessment: Endangered (EN) EU 27 regional assessment: Endangered (EN) Cephalanthera cucullata is endemic to Crete, very local and extremely rare. The extent of occurrence is below 2,000 km² and the area of occupancy is 40 km². The population has been estimated at 500 individuals in three locations and it is suspected that each holds less than 250 individuals in total. There is a continuous decline especially of the habitat which is threatened by grazing, drainage, climate change and deforestation. Therefore, Cephalanthera cucullata is assessed as Endangered.

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	The orchid Cephalanthera cucullata grows in mountainous forest areas on Crete, with a few isolated populations in several localities on mountain Ida (Héraklion), Samaria Gorge (Ghania) and the eastern mountains (Lassithi). The species is endemic to Greece and is found from 700 to 1,500 m altitude (Phitos et al. 1995, Thanos and Fournaraki 2007, Delforge 1995).
Countries:	Native: Greece (Kriti)
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Range Description:

The orchid Cephalanthera cucullata grows in mountainous forest areas on Crete, with a few isolated populations in several localities on mountain Ida (Héraklion), Samaria Gorge (Ghania) and the eastern mountains (Lassithi). The species is endemic to Greece and is found from 700 to 1,500 m altitude (Phitos et al. 1995, Thanos and Fournaraki 2007, Delforge 1995).

Countries:

Native:

Greece (Kriti)

Range Map:

Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	Cephalanthera cucullata is very local, extremely rare and endemic to Crete. The population has been estimated in 500 individuals and it is suspected that each subpopulation holds less than 250 individuals in total. In the framework of the CRETAPLANT project, an inventory of the localities and of the population has been carried out (Cretaplant 2007, Commission of the European Communities 2009).
Population Trend:	Decreasing

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	Cephalanthera cucullata grows in alkaline dry to cool soils in semi-shade. Typical habitats of Cephalanthera cucullata include mixed forests of oak (Quercus calliprinos), Cypress (Cupressus horizontalis) and Cretan maple (Acer creticum). The flowering time of the species takes place from May until June. At the end of June, the seeds mature inside the capsules and the overground plant parts die (Phitos et al. 1995, Cretaplant 2007, Delforge 1995).
Systems:	Terrestrial

Habitat and Ecology:

Cephalanthera cucullata grows in alkaline dry to cool soils in semi-shade. Typical habitats of Cephalanthera cucullata include mixed forests of oak (Quercus calliprinos), Cypress (Cupressus horizontalis) and Cretan maple (Acer creticum). The flowering time of the species takes place from May until June. At the end of June, the seeds mature inside the capsules and the overground plant parts die (Phitos et al. 1995, Cretaplant 2007, Delforge 1995).

Systems:

Terrestrial

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	Cephalanthera cucullata is very local, extremely rare and is restricted to very fragile and rare places. The habitats of the species are under serious threat from grazing, drainage, climatic change and deforestation (Cretaplant 2007, Delforge 1995).

Major Threat(s):

Cephalanthera cucullata is very local, extremely rare and is restricted to very fragile and rare places. The habitats of the species are under serious threat from grazing, drainage, climatic change and deforestation (Cretaplant 2007, Delforge 1995).

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	Cephalanthera cucullata is: Included under Annex B of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) Included in Annexes II and IV of the Habitats Directive Listed under Appendix I of the Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats (Bern Convention) Protected by Presidential Decree 67/81 Proclaimed "Endangered" by the Red Data Book of Rare and Threatened Flora of Greece (Phitos et al. 1995). Conservation and monitoring actions needed to protect Cephalanthera cucullata: Wardening Placement of information boards Fencing of a large area and 15 additional, small cages for protection from grazing and safeguarding (and enhancement) of the population Recording of climatic parameters (meteorological microstation) Annual counting of individual plants for monitoring the reproductive population fluctuation Measurement of aboveground plant growth and counting flowering stems per plant Seed storage in the Seed Banks of MAICh and University of Athens Study of seed germination and the factors regulating annual regeneration of the species In the framework of the CRETAPLANT project a micro-reserve has been established in a mountain range of Lefka Ori, where actions for its protection have been applied (Cretaplant 2007).

Conservation Actions:

Cephalanthera cucullata is:

Included under Annex B of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)
Included in Annexes II and IV of the Habitats Directive
Listed under Appendix I of the Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats (Bern Convention)
Protected by Presidential Decree 67/81
Proclaimed "Endangered" by the Red Data Book of Rare and Threatened Flora of Greece (Phitos et al. 1995).

Conservation and monitoring actions needed to protect Cephalanthera cucullata:

Wardening
Placement of information boards
Fencing of a large area and 15 additional, small cages for protection from grazing and safeguarding (and enhancement) of the population
Recording of climatic parameters (meteorological microstation)
Annual counting of individual plants for monitoring the reproductive population fluctuation
Measurement of aboveground plant growth and counting flowering stems per plant
Seed storage in the Seed Banks of MAICh and University of Athens
Study of seed germination and the factors regulating annual regeneration of the species

In the framework of the CRETAPLANT project a micro-reserve has been established in a mountain range of Lefka Ori, where actions for its protection have been applied (Cretaplant 2007).

Citation:	Rankou, H. 2011. Cephalanthera cucullata. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 24 May 2012.
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