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2017 UK orchids (2 Viewers)
- Thread starter muba
- Start date
I'd go with Northern Marsh-orchid, given the shape of the lip and the location - Morfa Dyffryn, I assume?
But, as you probably know, the Marsh orchids can be a nightmare to identify. Last year I was just down the coast from there at Ynyslas which has Northern Marsh, Northern Marsh var. cambrensis, Southern Marsh, Early Marsh and Narrow-leaved Marsh plus all the hybrids growing together. I've got loads of photos of plants that I still can't identify.
Rog
rmielcarek
Well-known member
Interesting looking flower, bit odd looking for Southern Marsh, but probably even further out for any of the other marsh/spotted orchids. These plants can be a bit of a nightmare, they are so variable with the possibility of introgression from other species. Lone flowers are often a problem, I tend to look at the whole population before deciding what they are.
Check the stem, if it is hollow it is a marsh orchid.
Rich
Colin&Wendy
Member
Many thanks - very useful tip about the stem. We tend to assume that we will have the 'marsh' variant of almost anything e.g marsh ragwort as it's a bit damp around here!
I think you may be right that these are not pure as the one in the first picture has very obvious spotting to the leaves while it is growing only a about a foot from ones that have no visible spotting such as the one in the second photo. The depth of flower colour seems to vary quite a bit with the spotted ones being slightly lighter (though these two pictures don't really show that).
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The Moore-hen
Association of Satirical Birders & Ornitholigists
Thanks Rog - yep it was Dyffryn in the dunes between caravan site & the beach, assume this is a regular site for Nothern Marsh then? They all looked pretty similar in colour / shape there, sounds like a bit of a nightmare at Ynyslas though!
Yes, Dyffryn is good for Northern Marsh, Early Marsh and Marsh Helleborines.
Lesser Twayblade
CM - I have PMd you details of a good site just south of Kirkby Stephen. Other members have seen the plants there since I visited on 3 June 2014. i hope you are not too late. Dave
CM - I have PMd you details of a good site just south of Kirkby Stephen. Other members have seen the plants there since I visited on 3 June 2014. i hope you are not too late. Dave
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David,
Thanks for the directions. I managed to catch one of the BTO clumps still in good condition, although past its best now.
Afterwards I went on to Yarnbury Castle, on the edge of Parsons Down, where BTO had been reported by Simon in 2015. I'm pleased to say, there were about 100 there this year, predominantly on the south side. The were all singles of the small form except for one double that had gone over. There is a track from the eastbound carriageway of the A303 up by the fort, where you can park. In among the many fragrants were about 8 chalk fragrant var albiflora, mainly on the the fort entrance earthworks in the SE corner.
Dave
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rmielcarek
Well-known member
I'm not sure it is a good idea to post directions to plants on an open forum like this, there are still numpties out there who dig up orchids.
Rich M
Rich M
Gareth Stamp
Well-known member
Bee orchid var chlorantha
I am visiting Suffolk next week. Could someone please let me know if bee orchid var chlorantha still occur at the site near Norwich.
Many thanks
Gareth
I am visiting Suffolk next week. Could someone please let me know if bee orchid var chlorantha still occur at the site near Norwich.
Many thanks
Gareth
For anyone travelling down the A34, there are some good Bee orchids on the eastern roundabout at the Tothill services - also stack of Common Spotteds.
Further South, at the M3 J10, there are some really good Bees on the central reservation of the A31.
There was 1 var Bulgarum in good nick near the A31-B3404 roundabout - along this lots of Pyramidals
Further South, at the M3 J10, there are some really good Bees on the central reservation of the A31.
There was 1 var Bulgarum in good nick near the A31-B3404 roundabout - along this lots of Pyramidals
childhood memories
Well-known member
many thanks - my understanding is that LTs tend to hang on to their flowers for a few weeks - so hope I will be OK in 2 weeks - may just need to spot them this year and come back and photograph next -
road side bee orchids doing well in Northants and pyramidal are just starting to open up
road side bee orchids doing well in Northants and pyramidal are just starting to open up
rmielcarek
Well-known member
rmielcarek
Well-known member
A burnt orchid has been dug up on a N. Wilts site recently
LT's
I am going to Cumbria on Thursday to try and find some LT's (with my magnifying glass|=)| ) - if I find any I will post their condition.
I am going to Cumbria on Thursday to try and find some LT's (with my magnifying glass|=)| ) - if I find any I will post their condition.
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People who dig up orchids from the wild make me very cross, which is why I have always been a bit secretive about sites. But I am also disappointed this year to find that a burnt orchid site in Derbyshire has been munched by sheep |
||| , I couldn't find a single orchid, or much else apart from buttercups.
Steve Babbs
Well-known member
It looks like I, and a lot of other people, am likely to be in west Sussex tomorrow. If anyone can let me know whereabouts the musk orchids are at Noar Hill - or any other sites not too far from Church Norton - I'd be grateful. Thanks
Romith
Well-known member
I am going to have a look on Monday.
I will let you know, just hoping for a fine day.
Roy
muba
Well-known member
Last year I posted a photo, suggesting that it was possibly Dactylorhiza purpurella cambrensis. I was in an opinion of one. The same plant had been seen in better condition the year before and considered D. x venusta.
Today, in an old limestone quarry in N.E.Wales, I saw up to 100 similar plants, all looking quite healthy. Both CSO and NMO grow in the same areas so x venusta is an obvious choice of ID. However not only do these plants essentially match the description for D. p. cambrensis (Harrap and others), but somehow they look too uniform to be part of a hybrid swarm. There were no intermediates between these and either the NMO or CSO there. The only problem is that cambrensis is said to grow only in coastal areas - but the same would have been said of Dune Helleborines a couple of decades ago.
I may visit another site later in the week where CSO and NMO get jiggy together and will choose some photos from there for comparison.
Today, in an old limestone quarry in N.E.Wales, I saw up to 100 similar plants, all looking quite healthy. Both CSO and NMO grow in the same areas so x venusta is an obvious choice of ID. However not only do these plants essentially match the description for D. p. cambrensis (Harrap and others), but somehow they look too uniform to be part of a hybrid swarm. There were no intermediates between these and either the NMO or CSO there. The only problem is that cambrensis is said to grow only in coastal areas - but the same would have been said of Dune Helleborines a couple of decades ago.
I may visit another site later in the week where CSO and NMO get jiggy together and will choose some photos from there for comparison.
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