AN EXAMPLE OF “Neglected Serapias”A RARE ORCHID CONSIDERED ENDANGERED HAS BLOSSOMED SPONTANEOUSLY IN THE GARDEN OF A SCHOOL IN TUSCANY
a rare orchid it was discovered a few days ago in the school garden Capezzanonell’Comprehensive Institute Camaiore 3, in Tuscany. The flower was noticed by an expert in the field Recovery Consortium while new trees were planted. The incident was immediately reported to the director, who then involved teachers and students in a protection project.
Rare orchid at school, discovered by chance
As often happens, this discovery also happened by chance. In fact, a team of workers was planting some trees donated to the school by the Land Reclamation Consortium when an expert noticed the delicate bloom in the meadow.
The report, immediately confirmed by botanists, reached the director of the Camaiore 3 Comprehensive Institute, Riccardo Rolle. The teacher was immediately involved in the latter Cristina Bulgheri and a class of students, to a protection project, protect the plant with a net. The goal is to complete the plant’s life cycle so that it can produce seeds that can give life to the next generation.
«The children and their teacher responded enthusiastically and curiously to the unusual find and began a kind of treasure hunt, scouring the lawns of our school in search of other specimens. We were all surprised – explained the director – and the opportunity was important to reflect on the Italian plant heritage, on what we can do to protect it and on the fact that above all we need to get to know it».
“Serapias Neglected”, a rarity in Italy
The rare orchid species discovered in the Capezzano School garden is one of them Ignored the Serapiaknown as Neglected Serapis. It is a protected species, reported in the Washington Convention and classified as “close to the threat of extinction” in the IUCN Red List (International Union for Conservation of Nature).
The wild orchids they are rare and precious. To be born they must find the right soil, but not only that. In fact, they also need the presence of a second one symbiont speciesgiving them the right nutrition to germinate and grow.
At a general level the “Ignored Serapias” it only occurs in the south of France (Provence and Corsica), in the Italian regions of Liguria, Tuscany and Emilia Romagna and on the east coast of the Adriatic Sea. A rare species whose global population is declining due to conversion of soils for residential, residential or agricultural use and pollution.
An exceptional discovery: twenty rare orchids within a few meters
The exceptional nature of the discovery lies in the number of specimens identified in the small garden of the kindergarten. In fact, about twenty orchids were visible on an area of almost 200 square meters. Two other plants, isolated, were in an adjacent meadow and one in the high school garden, right in front of the principal’s window.
«The biodiversity of the meadows and also of our gardens is extraordinary. We are happy with this discovery, which happened at the very time when we wanted to convey these values through the planting of trees and shrubs.. An afforestation project that the Consortium has been promoting for years to combat the climate crisis by also intervening on the microclimate and which, by involving schools, manages to convey ecological messages to the new generations» – explained the Chairman of the Consortium, Ismaele Ridolfi.
