leptochila
Well-known member
Did you go to Akrotiri Lorne? The bicolors there were stunning! Didn't see any chlorantha though.
Mike.
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2011 UK Orchid season updates (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter heakl
- Start date
Did you go to Akrotiri Lorne? The bicolors there were stunning! Didn't see any chlorantha though.
Mike.
Ghostly Vision
Well-known member
Hi
Yes, southern Marsh.
It would behighly unusual to get southern and northern at the same site though....would be interested in seeing the northern photos.
Would also be interested in which Derbyshire site. Perhaps you could pm me?
Cheers
Sean
Ghostly Vision
Well-known member
Hi Lorne
Despite the use of the name by both Lang and Harrap (who copied the name off Lang), the name atrofuscus has now been replaced by the name fulvofusca. The latter name preceeded atrofuscus as a result of continental plants being found with uinmarked lips, and as a result, Lang's use of atrofuscus (which has never been officially registered) is invalid.
Just wanted to clarify the point as the literature makes it confusing, given Harrap is the current Standard.
All the best
Sean
leptochila
Well-known member
An all day trip to the Cotswolds yesterday resulted in some very pleasing finds after visiting 5 sites in the Birdlip area. First a stroll around some stunning limestone grassland overlooking the M5 came up trumps with around 250 Musk Orchids along the slopes. Just round the corner was a site for 'Wasp' orchid (var. trollii) where 7 plants were located, including one particularly perfect plant. Then just down the road we stopped at a well known Narrow-lipped Helleborine site to find 7 plants in bud under one huge beech. Another week or so and this plants will begin to flower. Continuing on our journey we made a visit to the Gloucestershire Red Helleborine site where 3 plants were (at a distance) spotted inside their enclosure (aka Fort Knox) just coming into flower. Just a stones throw from the Red Hells, some nearby limestone grassland held a surprising number of species including the Hybrid between Chalk Fragrant and Common Spotted Orchids (I think this is a well known colony but I stumbled on it by accident)! Also located was a single Bee Orchid and 3 Fly Orchids (going over) amongst plenty of Chalk Fragrant Orchids and Marbled Whites sheltering from the rain. Finally a diligent search of common land near Cheltenham resulted in 50 more Musk Orchids, (though slightly smaller and less open than the previous plants). Pyramidal Orchids, Common Spotted Orchids and Broad-leaved Helleborines were ubiquitous throughout the day.
A huge thanks to Alan (heakl) for most of the site details and meticulous directions.
A great day out!
Mike.
A huge thanks to Alan (heakl) for most of the site details and meticulous directions.
A great day out!
Mike.
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Hi Mike, although a few years ago I saw lots of chlorantha along the road from Akrotiri towards Lady's Mile Beach, the bicolor were all near Kato Akourdaleia. We did go back again this year but as everything was late, we were able to see collina & punctulata but no apifera at all.
Sorry Sean but its as clear as mud to me, perhaps I'm being thick.
I have no problem with fulvofusca being the correct name for plants with an unmarked lip, although the definition of unmarked lip is not clear, does it apply to the background colour (certainly this years Radipole plants do not have a single uniform all over colour) or just to the speculum, or absence of it?
As far as the use of atrofuscus by Lang and Harrop's to describe a variant, surely it has never been applied to a plant with an unmarked lip. Some of the Radipole plants look a very good match to the Lang/Harrop described variant.
Whatever the rights and wrongs of it all the Radipole plants are different, interesting, and well worth my trip to the site today (Many thanks to Lorne & Luke). Photo attached of another plant (same side of path as the first two and just a couple of yards south) with an unusual pattern on the lip and with one green viscidium and one brown one!
Alan
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leptochila
Well-known member
Great stuff. Those were the 2 species I failed to see although I had no specific sites I still managed to find about 25 species. Bird life was far better than I'd imagined - even saw one of the Griffon vultures. Really wanted to see O. punctulata though!
Mike.
leptochila
Well-known member
Few more pics from yesterday's round trip.
Another of the Radipole bees, unusually large petals.
Heath Spotted array including leucantha. Dorset.
Marsh Helleborine just coming into flower, a number of plants and none more than four inches tall. Wiltshire (next post)
Alan
Another of the Radipole bees, unusually large petals.
Heath Spotted array including leucantha. Dorset.
Marsh Helleborine just coming into flower, a number of plants and none more than four inches tall. Wiltshire (next post)
Alan
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FAO Juliette
Juliette
Some good advice from Brian, make sure the area doesnt get too covered in scrub (Brambles etc). The orchids may increase or may decrease, if present as a result of the importation of the hardstanding and disturbance, it could go either way. The best you can probably do is to keep the 'grassland' open and provide the conditions of open grassland that Bee Orchids prefer. They usually prefer drier grasslands than damp ones. If you cut the grassland, do it after the orchids have set seed and remove any arisings.
Have you considered contacting your local wildlife trust? If you are keen on improving your woodland and land for wildlife in general, a good starting point is to ask a local wildlife expert to have a look over the land. The Sussex Wildlife Trust may be able to assist you here, and may be able to send out either one of their officers or a volunteer. They would then be able to provide you with more focused first hand advice than general advice handed out over the net.
http://www.sussexwt.org.uk/contact/index.htm
As for wider woodland management, you may also wish to look at the recently published Butterfly Conservation management advice for southern woodlands, which is available as pdfs here:
http://www.butterfly-conservation.o...terflies_and_moths_a_best_practice_guide.html
Provision of features for traditional woodland management based on your woodland’s management history and with note of existing constraints will probably most help the wildlife within the wood. Don’t just implement management textbook style, each wood is different. Sounds like you are already doing great with wide rides with Common Spotted Orchids in. :t:
I hope that is of some use, and please do look into getting further first hand advice from your local experts.
Good luck,
Juliette
Some good advice from Brian, make sure the area doesnt get too covered in scrub (Brambles etc). The orchids may increase or may decrease, if present as a result of the importation of the hardstanding and disturbance, it could go either way. The best you can probably do is to keep the 'grassland' open and provide the conditions of open grassland that Bee Orchids prefer. They usually prefer drier grasslands than damp ones. If you cut the grassland, do it after the orchids have set seed and remove any arisings.
Have you considered contacting your local wildlife trust? If you are keen on improving your woodland and land for wildlife in general, a good starting point is to ask a local wildlife expert to have a look over the land. The Sussex Wildlife Trust may be able to assist you here, and may be able to send out either one of their officers or a volunteer. They would then be able to provide you with more focused first hand advice than general advice handed out over the net.
http://www.sussexwt.org.uk/contact/index.htm
As for wider woodland management, you may also wish to look at the recently published Butterfly Conservation management advice for southern woodlands, which is available as pdfs here:
http://www.butterfly-conservation.o...terflies_and_moths_a_best_practice_guide.html
Provision of features for traditional woodland management based on your woodland’s management history and with note of existing constraints will probably most help the wildlife within the wood. Don’t just implement management textbook style, each wood is different. Sounds like you are already doing great with wide rides with Common Spotted Orchids in. :t:
I hope that is of some use, and please do look into getting further first hand advice from your local experts.
Good luck,
Hello Sean,
Perhaps I'll get my head around this one day, I have been looking closely at the illustrations in Lang and Harrop without paying much attention to the text, I have now realised that the text does not match the illustrations. Both references show a necklace pattern on the lip in their illustrations, and then state clearly that the lip is unmarked! that I'm sorry has led to my confusion.
One would presume that the Lang photo is genuine, and now a near as damn it likeness has appeared in two consecutive years at Radipole, should atrofuscus perhaps be retained but with a corrected description?
Sorry for my ignorance in the previous post.
Alan
rmielcarek
Well-known member
an unusual site where Marsh Helleborine grows on chalk downland. Loads of plants so they seem to enjoy it, despite it being very dry
Adonis Blue butterfly as well.
Rich M
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Correction, it has been brought to my attention (thanks Rich M, and I'm very grateful) that my photo in post 210 is not true leucantha, my photo shows dark pollinia which is not correct for that variety.
For those interested enough, check the middle photograph in post 79 for the correct pollinia colour.
Alan
leptochila
Well-known member
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