2011 UK Orchid season updates (5 Viewers)

[ceterach]

This is a question for the orchid experts - I have read that the Monkey Orchids are dying off before they have had a chance to flower, and other species are suffering with the dry weather (like some did last year). Does this mean that the whole plant has died or will they be able to flower next year if they get the right conditions?

Hi

Monkey Orchids in this country grow mostly on thin soils on chalk and if our local Surrey Downs are anything to go by I am not surpised they are suffering! For the third year running our Man and Butterfly Orchid populations (running into several 100 plants) have almost completely aborted flowering! Also not just orchids, cowslips and milkwort are wilting as they flower, it is really bad this year.

The good news is that most tuber-bearing species develop next years tuber early in the year and so should be OK but if it carries on with these dry spells in early spring who knows.

All the best

John

 

[ladybee]

Hi

Monkey Orchids in this country grow mostly on thin soils on chalk and if our local Surrey Downs are anything to go by I am not surpised they are suffering! For the third year running our Man and Butterfly Orchid populations (running into several 100 plants) have almost completely aborted flowering! Also not just orchids, cowslips and milkwort are wilting as they flower, it is really bad this year.

The good news is that most tuber-bearing species develop next years tuber early in the year and so should be OK but if it carries on with these dry spells in early spring who knows.

All the best

John

Thank you for your reply. Yes, that is good news. Things are wilting up here too, and going over more quickly than usual. Last year Burnt and Bee orchids suffered here so I expect there will be even fewer this year.

 

[heakl]

Gloucestershire update,
Common Twayblade, White Helleborine and Bird's-nest just coming into flower at several sites, one Greater Butterfly with first two flowers open also seen today.

Photo's attached of a Bird's-nest with an unusual shaped lip, and a Twayblade with silvery-white markings on the lip. Does anyone know if these variations are commonplace or unusual?

Alan

 

[ladybee]

Barnack

Has anyone been to Barnack in the past few days, and if so, is there anything in flower there please as I am planning a trip there and it is quite a long way to go.
Thanks

 

[leptochila]

Gloucestershire update,
Common Twayblade, White Helleborine and Bird's-nest just coming into flower at several sites, one Greater Butterfly with first two flowers open also seen today.

Photo's attached of a Bird's-nest with an unusual shaped lip, and a Twayblade with silvery-white markings on the lip. Does anyone know if these variations are commonplace or unusual?

Alan

Not seen either of these labellum variations before. The twayblde is particularly odd - looks like a zip's been painted on each floret!

Mike.

 

[antshrike69]

Has anyone been to Barnack in the past few days, and if so, is there anything in flower there please as I am planning a trip there and it is quite a long way to go.
Thanks

Early Purples were out last weekend, but nothing else. The warm weather this week may have changed things of course.

 

[leptochila]

Just some photos of the surprisingly robust and impressive Aberdyfi Cephalanthera longifolia from Monday.

Mike.

 

[ladybee]

Lovely photos Mike - and a lovely Helleborine.

 

[heakl]

Had another look at the Twayblade with the unusual lip marking today, the white markings are a fine white powder, presumably pollen, that can be rubbed off. Hundreds of plants at the site are coming into flower but only one small group have the markings.

Our first Southern Marsh Orchids are now in flower.

Hello Mike, I see what you mean about "albino" Sword-leaved, I'll certainly be looking closely at any plants I see.

Alan

 

[heakl]

Dact ID please

I'm after all the help I can get with Dacts identification, on the site with the Southern Marsh Orchids there were a few spotted leaf plants, photos attached, can you help with identification please?

Many thanks
Alan

 

[leptochila]

Lovely photos Mike - and a lovely Helleborine.

Thankyou very much! The new lense is making all the difference. :t:

Mike.

 

[rmielcarek]

I'm after all the help I can get with Dacts identification, on the site with the Southern Marsh Orchids there were a few spotted leaf plants, photos attached, can you help with identification please?

Many thanks
Alan

Ah, dact hybrids, what a minefield.

Easiest thing I find is to wait and see what other dacts emerge in a few weeks to find the other parent. Mind you there's a few sites down here, and probably the same up where you are, where I can't find any apparently pure plants and everything appears to be hybrids (and back crosses at that, not first generation hybrids).

I will stick my head out and say best guess on your photo is a back cross with Heath Spotted.

Rich M

 

[leptochila]

Ah, dact hybrids, what a minefield.

Easiest thing I find is to wait and see what other dacts emerge in a few weeks to find the other parent. Mind you there's a few sites down here, and probably the same up where you are, where I can't find any apparently pure plants and everything appears to be hybrids (and back crosses at that, not first generation hybrids).

I will stick my head out and say best guess on your photo is a back cross with Heath Spotted.

Rich M

Buttttt, it could always be 'forma junalis' aka 'Leopard Marsh Orchid'? I'm inclined to agree with Rich M though, most probably a hybrid although I'd plump for Southern Marsh x Common Spotted purely due to the same habitat preferences. Unfortunately hybrids can vary widely even if separate plants have the same parents in terms of species simply due to individual variation.

Mike.

 

[rmielcarek]

Buttttt, it could always be 'forma junalis' aka 'Leopard Marsh Orchid'?
Mike.

I think you can rule out Leopard Marsh because they usually have;
* 'leopard spots' ie the leaf markings are dark loops/circles with a green centre, not solid spots
* the lip is usually marked with bold, solid loops, not the series of long squiggles in the photo.

Yes hybrids are incredibly variable, particularly when you get back-crosses in hybrid swarms. I've got a whole folder of photos of plants where I haven't got a clue.

Rich M

 

[Ghostly Vision]

Chilterns Militaries:

1. The public site - all in bud at present
2. The private access site - a record 220 plants for the site, all in flower at present.

This has been put down to winter snow saturating the ground on melting. I suspect this species likes dry soils at flowering time, though, given the habitat and climate at sites I've seen it at on the Continent.

Given the dry spring it is my suspicion that this will be a good year for Late spider orchid numbers - those wishing to see that species in England should make the effort this year.

Coralroot Orchids in the NE of England: at their top site, near Newcastle, they are starting to flower.

Lady's slipper orchids are already in flower in Lancashire, at both Silverdale and at Gait Barrows. If visiting the latter site, please contact the warden, as they carry out organised visits to the plants.

Sean

 

[heakl]

I think you can rule out Leopard Marsh because they usually have;
* 'leopard spots' ie the leaf markings are dark loops/circles with a green centre, not solid spots
* the lip is usually marked with bold, solid loops, not the series of long squiggles in the photo.

Yes hybrids are incredibly variable, particularly when you get back-crosses in hybrid swarms. I've got a whole folder of photos of plants where I haven't got a clue.

Rich M

Thanks Mike / Rich M
Yesterday was my first ever visit to this Southern Marsh site so I don't know what else might appear in the coming weeks, as far as I'm aware Heath Spotted is a rarity in Gloucestershire (it would be nice if someone could me details of a good site) whereas Common Spotted is widespread, on balance I think its more likely to be Southern Marsh x Common Spotted. Thanks again for your help.

Wiltshire today. Green-winged in absolutely spanking condition, 1000's in lovely colours and colour mixes. The first Early Marsh are flowering well and lots more still in bud. Southern Marsh starting to flower and a couple of Common Spotted just starting to open.

Alan

 

[rmielcarek]

Thanks Mike / Rich M
Yesterday was my first ever visit to this Southern Marsh site so I don't know what else might appear in the coming weeks, as far as I'm aware Heath Spotted is a rarity in Gloucestershire (it would be nice if someone could me details of a good site) whereas Common Spotted is widespread, on balance I think its more likely to be Southern Marsh x Common Spotted. Thanks again for your help.

Wiltshire today. Green-winged in absolutely spanking condition, 1000's in lovely colours and colour mixes. The first Early Marsh are flowering well and lots more still in bud. Southern Marsh starting to flower and a couple of Common Spotted just starting to open.

Alan

Alan

quite a few sites just south of Bristol normally hold good numbers of Heath Spotted, one of which normally has a couple of var leucantha and another has Heath Spotted hybrids. If you are going to be down this way in a couple of weeks mail me and I'll show you them.

If your site in Wilts is a certain Farm, there are normally a few Leopard Marsh there plus a few apparent hybrid Early Marsh x Common Spotted. Excellent site.

Rich M

 

[heakl]

Military now in flower at public site 100+

Lady Orchid, two only, going past it in Oxfordshire, about a dozed Monkey fresh but quite small, hybrids fantastic.

Alan

 

[ladybee]

Green Winged Orchids (starting to go over, past their best) and Southern Marsh Orchids, some in flower, more to come, at North Lincs sites.

 

[heakl]

Sword-leaved Helleborine

I am planning to go and see this helleborine for the first time at the well known site in Hampshire with some people who have never seen it before either. As most things are early this year could someone post when these are out so I do not mis-time the trip from Bucks.

Hello Mike,
If you haven't already visited you should go now! They make a lovely show when walking through the woods, must be over a 1000 spikes, but on close inspection the individual flowers are past their best.

Also, quite a lot of White Helleborine just coming out, one scruffy Bird's-nest and five fresh Fly Orchids.

Alan