Orchids of Central Spain: (Cuenca Province) A Field Guide

Description:

First field guide to wild orchids found in central Spain published in English. Translated by Chrissie Harris.

Why a field guide of wild orchids of Central Spain? Our Serranía mountain range is one of the most densely populated in orchid species in the whole of the Iberian Peninsula, and we are delighted to be able to demonstrate that Cuenca’s well-preserved natural environment attracts orchid specialists from all over Europe.

The orchid family is one of the most attractive and original in the vegetable kingdom. As a recent evolutionary group, it emerged when most of the ecological niches were already occupied, which is more than likely the reason for many of its very interesting evolutionary adaptations: its opportunism, the millionaire production of seeds, its imperious need for mycorrhization and its very unique way of ensuring pollination thanks to a sophisticated flower that is particularly attractive to insects.

This field guide offers the following information:

Keys for the identification of genera and species accompanied by more than 230 colour photos to assist in their identification.

Double-page spreads for the 57 species found in Cuenca (in addition to a selection of adjacent species), which include a corresponding distribution map with 1 km UTM grids, with a detailed description – emphasizing the diagnostic characters – etymology, habitat, flowering, known pollinators, accompanying orchids, hybrids, chromosomal numbers, synonyms, and photos of detail and size.

There is a chapter dedicated to the description of the three natural landscapes of Cuenca, their different types of habitat, with a review of the rare and protected and the presence of orchids in each one of them.

There are also sections dedicated to the phenology of the 57 species, and the general biology, morphology, anatomy and phenology of terrestrial orchids. Illustrative graphics, drawings and diagrams are included.

Further chapters cover the curious relation between fungi and orchids; particularities of orchid cultivation; the evolution of the family; the amazing mechanisms of pollination; hybrids and certain anomalies; protection and conservation of orchids; curiosities; the list of locations that has served to make distribution maps; a lexicon and a glossary of terms used in the literature on orchids; a complete agenda with addresses of interest on the web; and, finally, a bibliography and index of scientific names, including synonyms.