10 



depend on perennial, often thermal seepage areas, 

 which may allow it to persist in colder climates. 



P. POPULATION DEMOGRAPHY AND BIOLOGY 



1. PHENOLOGY: This species flowers from March through 

 August, depending on the latitude of the site (Luer, 

 1975) . In Montana, mid-June is the earliest date 

 recorded for flowering (Bluewater Spring (003)), and 

 flowering may extend into August (Nimrod Warm Springs 

 (001)). 



2. POPULATION SIZE AND CONDITION (MONTANA): Populations 

 of E. qiqantea range in size from approximately 185 

 stems, up to 5,000+ stems. The average population 

 size is approximately 1,000 stems. See Table 2., 



pp. 11-12, for information on population sizes and 

 conditions in Montana. 



The amount of area inhabited by this species is most 

 likely influenced, at least in Montana, by the extent 

 of mineral, warm water springs. The average area 

 covered by a population is about two acres. Thus, 

 although populations might have a large number of 

 stems, the total area covered by this species in 

 Montana amounts to only approximately 21 acres. 



3. REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY 



a. TYPE OF REPRODUCTION: Epipactis qiqantea 

 produces numerous flowers, and is known to be an 

 outcrossing species (Brunton, 1986) . It is also 

 a perennial, and populations may enlarge by 

 vegetative reproduction through extension of 

 rhizomes. 



b. POLLINATION BIOLOGY: All species in the genus 

 Epipactis offer nectar as an insect reward, thus 

 they may exploit relatively unspecialized 

 pollinators (Burns-Balogh et al. , 1987). A wide 

 variety of insects are represented as 

 pollinators; however, "the genus is regarded as 

 ^wasp pollinated'" by Burns-Balogh et al . 

 (1987) . Syrphid flies are the known pollinators 

 of E. qiqantea (Luer, 1975; Brunton, 1986), but 

 there may be others. 



c. SEED DISPERSAL AND BIOLOGY: All orchids produce 

 capsules filled with numerous minute seeds 

 (Hitchcock et ai. , 1969), which are most often 

 dispersed by wind. The capsules of E. qiqantea 

 are ellipsoid and pendent (Luer, 1975) , which 



