ORCHIDS OF KOSOVO hunder rolled off mountains of Prishtina, Xhavit Malla bio- lurking on the horizon and diversity officer at Sharri National T the breeze was hay-scented Park and Dr Cassandra Quave of Mapping orchids when our fieldwork group met in Emory University. Our conversations Prishtina, Kosovo’s capital city. among ourselves and the people we The only orchidaceous element interviewed about plant distributions missing from this introduction to and uses were a jumble of Albanian, in Kosovo Kosovan landscapes was lush forest, Bosnian, Gorani and English. There which we were to see at the end of was always someone who could bridge SuSanne MaSterS goes trekking in the diverse habitats our trip. the linguistic gap so that we could all of one of Europe’s botanical hotspots on a mission to map It was wonderful to be invited to understand each other. take part in fieldwork with Dr Avni Kosovo self-declared as an Above Xhavit Malla, biodiversity officer at Sharri its fascinating orchid flora Hajdari and Bledar Pulaj of University independent country in 2008 but National Park, enjoying life in the field. Dactylorhiza majalis thriving in the Sharri Mountains. Photography by Susanne Masters Susanne by Photography Gymnadenia conopsea growinggrowing among Gladiolus palustris on the Kosovan-Albanian border. ➤ 90 June 2020 June 2020 91 ORCHIDS OF KOSOVO Above Dactylorhiza majalis subsp. cordigera in the Sharri Mountains. Above Dactylorhiza sambucina in the Sharri Mountains. Above Ophrys scolopax Above Anacamptis laxiflora Above Neottia ovata is not recognized as such by all Polygalaceae, which can superficially this – his main income currently is released their rain, we wouldn’t be the grasses we could see the diversity We had been taken up to this countries. So, there was some advance- resemble members of the Orchidaceae. picking juniper cones for export. trying a three-point turn in mud of flowering plants was phenomenal. meadow by a local hunter who planning required for when our Our specimens have been added to He picks from juniper now thriving above a steep drop. The softer pinks of fragrant orchids collects some Dactylorhiza tubers fieldwork would cross borders. In Emory University’s digital herbarium, in scrubby stands in the absence Highlights we could see were hosts (Gymnadenia conopsea) were thick each year for personal use in a Floras and online databases, like the which can be accessed online via of livestock. But he noted that this of broad-leaved marsh orchid among the grass. We had seen a few mucilaginous hot drink known as IUCN Red List, be aware that in Southeast Regional Network of increase in scrub had greatly reduced (Dactylorhiza majalis) and heart- Gymnadenia in Sharri Mountain salep. He thinks that the quality of most cases species ranges for orchids Expertise and Collections. flowering plants like orchids in these flowered marsh orchid (Dactylorhiza National Park, but here they were the tubers are favoured by collecting found in Kosovo are still considered In Mushnikovë, a village in areas. As Kosovo has urbanized, majalis subsp. cordigera) in damp dense enough in some areas to appear them after flowering. Several family under Serbia. But you are as likely the south of Kosovo near Sharri traditional pastoral and agricultural patches with elder-flowered orchid as a gentle pink haze. groups were also in the meadow to find species with reported Mountains National Park, we spent practices have changed. A notable (Dactylorhiza sambucina) growing in More sparsely distributed bug enjoying its beauty on walks and while distributions in other countries an afternoon with a man who had impact of this on biodiversity is the the lee of patchy juniper bushes. orchids (Anacamptis coriophora) were picnicking. However, an important Kosovo shares borders with: Albania, been collecting wild plants for his transition of grassland to scrub. To reach an alpine meadow that the reward for careful searching. Lax- word of caution is needed here as, Montenegro, and North Macedonia. livelihood for many years. Over spans Albania and Kosovo we had to flowered orchids (Anacamptis laxiflora) through the trees close to the border, bilberry juice we learnt much about Into the mountains follow a longer driving route in order could be spotted from a distance in there are landmines still in the Starting out changing habitats in Kosovo. We Driving south-east up into Sharri to cross the border at the correct clumps. In damp areas there were ground. So it is best to visit in the We began and ended at University were told how people in Mushnikovë Mountains National Park on one point. After reaching Borje village we broad-leaved marsh orchids company of people living in Borje of Prishtina’s herbarium. By the time used to have a lot of livestock, which of the steeper rough tracks we used went up to a meadow edged by forest (Dactylorhiza majalis) in assorted who will keep you to the safe paths. our fieldwork finished we returned grazed on grassland. Now only a there was a waft of burning rubber as on the upper slope and vertiginous colour-morphs. In the shady margins with 82 accessions to add to the fraction of that grazing occurs the clutch was put to hard work. But views on the lower slope. of banks of trees, lime-green Bjeshket e Nemuna National Park herbarium in Prishtina, including because fewer people keep livestock, we made it to the track’s end, leaving Hot pink was the first impression twayblades (Neottia ovata) and heath While rock canyons and a turquoise 19 orchid specimens and several and those that do have fewer animals. our vehicle parked facing downhill so from an abundance of marsh gladioli spotted orchids (Dactylorhiza river lining entry to Rugova Valley specimens of Orobanchaceae and Our informant had profited from that if the gathering thunderclouds (Gladiolus palustris). Getting in among maculata) were thinly distributed. might be the first thing to catch your ➤ 92 June 2020 June 2020 93 ORCHIDS OF KOSOVO eye, the diversity of tree species will Clouds of Platanthera end up keeping your attention. bifolia were found Alongside oak we noted hornbeam, under pine trees. ash, mulberry and maple. Elsewhere we saw forest dominated by beech or by pine. It was under pine trees that we found clouds of lesser butterfly orchids (Platanthera bifolia). On roadside verges where there was less overhead vegetation, we found woodcock orchids (Ophrys scolopax) displaying phenomenal diversity in form. Each individual plant bore flowers of slightly different pattern and colour, it was certainly one of those locations where you Above The flowers ofEpipactis microphylla in want to look at every plant. close-up. Below The bright flowers ofCephalanthera rubra While collecting a specimen of were conspicuous even from a moving vehicle. small-leaved helleborine (Epipactis microphylla) Avni had a reminder that not all the local wildlife is friendly. He heard movement in the undergrowth and stepped back as he saw a snake rushing towards him. For those used to larger helleborines, small-leaved helleborine with its downsized but unmistakeably helleborine flowers is a dainty delight. Red helleborines (Cephalanthera The rubra) were plants spotted at high inflorescence speed from the car. It was a matter of Epipactis microphylla. of finding a nearby parking spot and then walking back to see them. Kosovo’s entirely terrestrial orchid annotated only in Serbian, which is For those who appreciate orchids, Work unfinished flora is shaped by the meeting of not widely spoken now in Kosovo. Kosovo offers a beautiful backdrop In our relatively brief fieldwork we Mediterranean and continental We updated these specimens with of lush meadows and forests, with saw a selection of orchids native to climates. Despite its position in the annotations in Albanian, Kosovo’s towering mountains never far away. n Kosovo. Other genera that do grow southern part of Europe, Kosovo main language, while retaining the in Kosovo that we didn’t see and has deep winter snow up in the original Serbian text. We also SuSanne MaSterS works with aren’t currently represented in the mountains. Late May through June updated names to current taxonomy. a range of organisations on herbarium at Prishtina University is the time of year when the greatest Defining the Kosovan flora is an sustainabilty in international trade. include butterfly orchid (Anacamptis variety of orchid species can be seen ongoing process of re-cataloguing papilionacea) and creeping lady’s- flowering in Kosovo. This coincides records to reflect current boundaries, ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS tresses (Goodyera repens). with the time when Kosovo’s tracking changing habitats, connecting My great thanks are owed to Dr Avni Of the genera we did see, there are stunning alpine meadows can in with people who know these land- HajdariBledar Pulaj, Xhavit Malla and Kosovan representatives that we did general be seen at their most floral. scapes and then curating that Dr Cassandra Quave. I am also grateful not encounter, dark vanilla orchid At the end of our fieldwork we knowledge into accessible structures. for funding from the Alberta Mennega (Gymnadenia rhellicani) and bee orchid remounted some of the old orchid It is an important step in Stichting Foundation, Oleg Polunin Memorial Fund, and the United States Dactylorhiza maculata (Ophrys apifera) for example. Much is specimens in University of Prishtina conserving both local flora and the Department of State, US Embassy, can be found in shady still to do to create a comprehensive herbarium, including a set of uses people make of plants, as well margins beneath trees. Prishtina, grant number US18GR1. herbarium of the Kosovan flora. specimens that were originally as an expression of sovereignty. 94 June 2020 June 2020 95.