Rare orchid placed under observation in Berezinsky Biosphere Reserve

July 31, Vitebsk / Diana Kurilo - BELTA /. A special observation post for the rarest European orchid, the bee orchid, discovered in Belarus for the first time, has been established in the Berezinsky Biosphere Reserve, Valery Ivkovich, Deputy Director General for Research at the reserve, told a BELTA correspondent. The unique plant was discovered this summer by scientists from Grodno, Bialystok, and Warsaw Universities during a joint geobotanical expedition to study one of the birch species. In the Chistik marsh, they noticed unusual small flowers resembling an insect with folded wings. As it turned out, this is an endangered species of orchids from the Ophrys genus. At the discovery site, reserve specialists found another bee orchid. An observation post is now operating there, where the amazing plant will be monitored. Representatives of this genus are absolutely unique, said Valery Ivkovich. In the entire plant kingdom, you will not find such an unusual and bizarre flower shape and such a sophisticated way of attracting pollinating insects. According to research conducted by Charles Darwin and confirmed by other scientists, bee orchid flowers are pollinated by males of certain insect species, which mistake the flowers for their females. From the tubers of this plant, Kurds prepare the medicinal substance salep, which is attributed the ability to enhance sexual potency. The rich flora of the reserve includes about 800 species of higher vascular plants, 216 mosses, 317 algae, 463 fungi, and 238 lichens. 56 species of mammals have been recorded here, including the European bison, brown bear, lynx, badger, and otter. All European predators are represented. The reserve's avifauna includes 230 species of birds. The wildlife is complemented by 34 species of fish, 11 amphibians, 5 reptiles, and over 4000 species of invertebrates, of which more than 3000 are insects. The Berezinsky Biosphere Reserve is one of the few protected natural areas in Central and Eastern Europe with such exceptionally high ecological value. The Berezinsky State Reserve is included in the global network of biosphere reserves within the framework of UNESCO's international "Man and the Biosphere" Programme and is a member of the Federation of Nature and National Parks of Europe, and is included in the List of European Key Ornithological and Botanical Territories. -0-