Rückgang von Epipactis purpurata Sm. im Stadtgebiet von Braunschweig (Niedersachsen)

Epipactis purpurata is one of the 15 surviving species of orchids in the urban area of Braunschweig. This plant was first mentioned in the middle of the 20th century. At that time the orchid dwelled in five locations. Meanwhile two populations are extinct. A third cannot be verified. So only two localities still exist. The population in the “Kohli” was observed between 1991 to 2004, although with interruptions. The next controls were made in 2019 and 2020. Only a dozen plants of the formerly more than 100 have survived. The reasons for this decrease are game browsing, dryness and forestry.