I. SPECIES INFORMATION 



A. CLASSIFICATION 



1. SCIENTIFIC NAME: Epjpactjs qiqantea Dougl. ex Hook. 



2. COMMON NAME: giant helleborine, chatterbox. 



3. FJ^ILY: Orchidaceae (Orchid Family). 



4. GENUS: Epipactis qiqantea is one of approximately a 

 dozen species in the genus that occur in temperate 

 areas. Two of these species occur in North America, 

 while the rest are found in Eurasia. A species 

 native to Europe, Epipactis helleborine (helleborine) 

 has escaped cultivation and become established in 

 both eastern and western North America (Williams and 

 Williams, 1983) . In the west it is found in 

 Victoria, Vancouver Island, Canada and Lewis and 

 Clark County Montana (Hitchcock et al . , 1964). 



5. SPECIES: Epipactis qiqantea was first described by 

 Douglas in 1839 as occurring in the subalpine regions 

 of the Blue and Rocky Mountains of northwest North 

 America (Hitchcock et al . , 1964). It is found in 

 seepage areas and along streambanks, and is 

 predominantly associated with thermal waters 

 (especially along the northern edge of its range) . 

 Epipactis helleborine is similar in form, but differs 

 in having smaller flowers and a smaller, unlobed lip, 

 and is established more often in disturbed areas. 



B. PRESENT LEGAL OR OTHER FORMAL STATUS 

 1. FEDERAL STATUS 



a. U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE: Epipactis 

 qiqantea currently has no designation. 



b. U.S. FOREST SERVICE: The U.S. Forest Service 

 list of sensitive species for Region 1 (Northern 

 Region) currently includes Epipactis qiqantea 

 (USDA Forest Service, 1988) . Objectives and 

 policy of the U.S. Forest Service provide for 

 the management and protection of sensitive 

 species under sections 2670.22 and 2670.32 in 

 the 1984 Forest Service Manual. Under these 

 guidelines the Forest Service is to: (a) 

 "(m)aintain viable populations of all native 

 species of plants" (2670.22), and to (b) 



"(a) void or minimize impacts to species whose 

 viability has been identified as a concern" 

 (2670.32.3) . 



