Bucegi National Park
A Five-Year Botanical Exploration
and a Notable Discovery
By Ramy Maalouf | May 18, 2025
Bucegi National Park, situated in the Southern Carpathians and straddling the Prahova Valley, features a significant altitude range, from low montane beech forests to the 2,507 m summit of Mt Omu. This peak caps a distinctive limestone plateau sculpted into iconic formations like the Sphinx and Babele. The massif is characterized by sharp ecological gradients, calcareous bedrock, and deep-cut gorges. These factors contribute to one of Europe's densest concentrations of endemic plants, with 113 endemic vascular plant taxa known specifically from the Southern Carpathians (Kliment et al., 2016).
Me on a ridge of the Baiului Mountains, with the Bucegi Massif in the background — photo by my son Pablo (2021).
This article presents findings from an intensive botanical field survey conducted within Bucegi National Park over five years (2018-2022), detailing the diverse flora encountered and highlighting a significant recent discovery. The survey covered various localities within the park, each offering unique habitat characteristics:
 Lacul Bolboci |  Valea Ialomiței |  Valea Horoabei |
|---|---|---|
 Valea Ialomiței |  Cheile Zănoagei |  Platoul Bucegilor |
 Valea Ialomiței |  Cascada Obârşia Ialomiţei |  Brâna Mare |
 Bucegi from munții Baiului |  Platoul Bucegilor |  Brâna Mare |
 Platoul Bucegilor |  Cheile Zănoagei |  Brâna Mare |
 Valea Ialomiței |  Lacul Scropoasa |
Through countless hours of trekking, observation, and meticulous documentation across these varied locations, I compiled a photographic record of the vascular plants encountered. This list, a snapshot of Bucegi's plant life, showcases the variety of species thriving here, from common wildflowers to rare and protected species. The complete list of the vascular plants photographed during the survey can be found at the end of the article. (Table 3)
Photos of some rare and endemic species from Bucegi.
A World First: Discovering a New Endemic Orchid Hybrid
Among the many botanical observations in Bucegi, the orchids hold a special fascination. These plants, with their intricate flowers and complex life cycles, are always a highlight of any survey. Focused searches for rare orchids over the years culminated in a truly extraordinary discovery.
On July 12, 2022, within the designated area of Bucegi Natural Park (ROSCI0013) – a location that will forever hold significance as the locus classicus – a previously undocumented natural hybrid orchid was discovered. Subsequent detailed study and collaboration with fellow researchers confirmed this was a new endemic hybrid to Romania: Epipactis × romanensis Maalouf, Anghelescu, L. Balogh & Mih. Balogh, N. Kigyossy.
Epipactis × romanensis Maalouf, Anghelescu, L. Balogh & Mih. Balogh, N. Kigyossy
This remarkable hybrid represents a significant addition to the known orchid diversity. Its formal description was published in Scientific Papers, Series B, Horticulture. This discovery marks the first documented occurrence of this specific hybrid within the Bucegi Mountains. Classified as Endemic to Romania (EN), its protection is now of critical importance.
Finding this new hybrid in Bucegi underscores the potential for discovery that still exists in seemingly well-studied areas and highlights the dynamic nature of plant evolution.
Five years in Bucegi provided significant insights into the botanical wealth held within this national park. Every valley, plateau, and rocky outcrop offers the possibility of encountering something rare, beautiful, or even scientifically novel. Long-term field work is invaluable not only for documenting biodiversity but also for understanding ecosystem health and informing crucial conservation efforts. Documenting places like Bucegi contributes to the knowledge base necessary to ensure that these unique plant communities, including their endemic inhabitants and newly described taxa, can continue to thrive for future study and appreciation.
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