DELFORGE, P. & KREUTZ, C.A.J.-Remarks on Estonian orchids. During a field trip of 11 days in Estonia, 30 orchids species and numerous varieties, forms and hybrids were observed on 75 sites occuring both on the mainland and on the three main islands. From our observations, we conclude that Estonia possess a great richness in orchids, with very important localities for Dactylorhiza baltica, probably the last population of the extremely rare D. ruthei and, next to D. ochroleuca, the remarkable presence of 6 varieties of D. incarnata. However, D. praetermissa, occasionally reported, is not present in Estonia, the presence of D. cruenta seems doubtful, and D. maculata s. str. seems very rare, its frequence being over-valued. The nature richness of Estonia is considerable. The recent political changes have led to rapid changes in the economical situation and agricultural practices so that protection and management of natural and semi-natural habitats are necessary. A list of the 30 species, 12 interspecific hybrids, and 75 localities prospected on 20 June-1 July 2005 is given.

In the framework of the project on plant genetic resources for food and agriculture (RGV/FAO), a program for the collection and propagation of spontaneous orchids from the Italian territory has been implemented, mainly oriented towards species with ornamental potential. Distributional and phenological data of species and hybrids of the Orchidaceae have been collected in the national territory in order to determine the optimum maturation stage of the seed capsules for in vitro germination, in accordance with current regulations of Italian law. Experimental protocols of in vitro asymbiotic propagation have been evaluated, including sterilization, germination, in vitro cultivation on various substrate types and cold greenhouse acclimatization. Between 2014 and 2016, capsules were harvested in the natural habitats of species and hybrids belonging to 11 different botanical genera (out of the 29 reported in Italy): and Serapias. Twenty-eight taxa of the 44 sowed germinated after 11 and up to 45 weeks from sowing, depending on the taxon, while the development of protocorms, with leaves and root system and complete with rhizomes and rhizoids, required an average of one year. In November 2015 and 2016, after about 18-20 months from sowing, greenhouse acclimatization protocols for plantlets were developed for Anacamptis morio, Barlia robertiana, Dactylorhiza maculata subsp. fuchsii, Gymnadenia conopsea, Ophrys apifera, Ophrys sphegodes subsp. maritima, Serapias neglecta, Serapias cordigera and Serapias × meridionalis. Further research is currently ongoing to optimize the germination and acclimatization of all taxa, including the use of mycorrhizal fungi.

Premessa Tra le famiglie vegetali di particolare interesse ecolo-gico, le Orchidaceae, per le loro peculiari necessità di insetti pronubi e funghi simbionti micorrizici, sono particolarmente sensibili alle alterazioni fisico-chi-miche di suolo, aria e acqua, rappresentando un'interfaccia tra tre comparti del mondo vivente. Il loro sviluppo e riproduzione sono, infatti, strettamente connessi alla qualità ambientale per la loro forte di-pendenza dalle condizioni stazionali. La presenza di orchidee può quindi contribui-re a livello territoriale alla valutazione della qualità ecologica e dell'efficacia di metodi di gestione eco-compatibili.