2014 UK Orchids (2 Viewers)

[LizandDave]

@GavinDurrant1: A closer view of the white early purple orchid (orchis mascula var. alba) found in Aldeby, S.Norfolk @wildlife_uk http://t.co/StnRqbIceM

On twitter today. For those who travelled to Kent to try and find the one I found, now presumed stolen!
Dave

 

[joannacary]

Thanks Sean. Also planning to go to Totternhoe for men: could someone kindly PM me with detailed directions? Many thanks

 

[rmielcarek]

Spent three hours in dense sea mist at Samphire Hoe yesterday. Nearly froze but found these unusual spiders. Could anyone help me with the correct variety names for them please.


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As far as I know these are both examples of var flavescens.

Turner Ettlinger captions a plant very similar to your lower example as var flavescens but with a postscript 'possibly var planimaculata sensu Sundermann'

Your lower example seems to be the commoner - that's to say when I visited some years ago both plants I found looked like that!

Nice!

Rich M

 

[gpg]

Southern marsh

A handful of D. praetermissa are already in full flower in a damp meadow in N. Wilts.

It is an early site, but not usually this early; the whole colony will probably be fully out in under a week.

The accompanying A. morio are huge in the lush grass, many over a foot high, with one beautiful magenta specimen.

Elsewhere early marsh are very close to flowering.

 

[John P Lee]

A few from a few days ago at Berry Head, Torbay. Would be grateful for any information when the Narrow-leaved Helleborine are flowering in Chappetts Copse.

 

[JCL]

Spent three hours in dense sea mist at Samphire Hoe yesterday. Nearly froze but found these unusual spiders. Could anyone help me with the correct variety names for them please.


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Flavescens (at least, I presume the second one is still flavescens; i wasn't aware that they could look like this). Presumably the same two plants still OK today, though the yellower one is getting pretty brown. Pix below. Many many ESOs still in fine fettle

 

[Ghostly Vision]

My personal opinion on the Early spiders at Samphire is that the left hand one is a clear-cut flavescens - i.e. completely lacking in anthocyanin.

The right hand one I think may be an ordinary plant which has lost the surface of the lip in the centre. As can be seen, the fringes are normally-coloured and "furry", but the centre lacks any texture. Underneath the brown/purple "blanket" is this yellow base. I've seen this before a number of times in this species, although I can't actually offer an explanation as to why every flower on the stem is like it!

Sean

 

[LizandDave]

Kentish Lady's

For those planning a trip to Kent to see Lady Orchids there are:
plenty in full flower now
plenty half open
plenty budding
So you should have a couple of weeks or so yet, provided the weather is ok.
Today, I found a very pale flowered Lady with a lot less red in the top "hood", and a Lady with normal red hoods but completely white flowers, ie no pink spotting on the skirts.
Finally, I managed to find 2 Fly Orchids (at last). Very hard to spot in undergrowth.
Chatting to another orchid photographer on site there was a Greater Butterfly Orchid in full bud, but no petals open yet, although I missed that one.
Best place to go at present for Lady's is Bonsai Bank.
Please be careful where you tread. There are very many orchid rosettes of various species still budding and quite small, many by the path. I had to have words with a birder who just walked through the flowers looking for birds, oblivious to the rare plants he was squashing!
Dave

 

[JCL]

My personal opinion on the Early spiders at Samphire is that the left hand one is a clear-cut flavescens - i.e. completely lacking in anthocyanin.

The right hand one I think may be an ordinary plant which has lost the surface of the lip in the centre. As can be seen, the fringes are normally-coloured and "furry", but the centre lacks any texture. Underneath the brown/purple "blanket" is this yellow base. I've seen this before a number of times in this species, although I can't actually offer an explanation as to why every flower on the stem is like it!

Sean

Thanks sean. Indeed it was that every flower on the stem looked the same that prompted me to moot a variant rather than wear. First of many learning points this year i suspect
James

 

[rmielcarek]

My personal opinion on the Early spiders at Samphire is that the left hand one is a clear-cut flavescens - i.e. completely lacking in anthocyanin.

The right hand one I think may be an ordinary plant which has lost the surface of the lip in the centre. As can be seen, the fringes are normally-coloured and "furry", but the centre lacks any texture. Underneath the brown/purple "blanket" is this yellow base. I've seen this before a number of times in this species, although I can't actually offer an explanation as to why every flower on the stem is like it!

Sean

Sean

what do you make of the plant, lower right on page 187, of Turner Ettlinger? Looks similar and captioned flavescens.

Rich

 

[muba]

Has anybody been to Cors Bodeilio this year? How are things coming along there?

 

[Ghostly Vision]

Sean

what do you make of the plant, lower right on page 187, of Turner Ettlinger? Looks similar and captioned flavescens.

Rich

Hi Rich

Not seen the formal description of flavescens, but by definition I'd say it shouldn't have any normal red/brown colouration. DTE was a legend and I hesitate to disagree with him!

Sean

 

[fgrsimon]

Lovely Var. alba Early Purple found on Minchinhampton Common,Glos yesterday. First one of these I've seen.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/53613503@N08/13917619387/

 

[Kumba]

Warwickshire Orchids

Green-winged Orchids

 

[heakl]

A timely visit to Kent revealed nearly all the afore mentioned, and the first Monkey's just coming into flower.

Far more in hope than expectation a short detour on the way home revealed the first Military's just starting to flower.

Anybody travelling any distance to either of these sites would be well advised to delay the visit for at least 10 to 14 days, an update from any that visit sooner would of course help.

Alan

 

[childhood memories]

Targets

Hi

Lovely show of green winged this year in Oxfordshire a good 3 weeks earlier than last year

targets for this year - still to see lesser twayblades and fen orchids

Will probably look in Cumbria for twayblades - but where exactly (I was wondering about the creeping lady tresses site - but if anyone knows a good site further south can you let me know) and when - ?

Also what is the position at Kenfig - heard bad rumours last year - again when? Is everything as early over there as it is for us in the east? Are they easy to find - would mean a long trip to draw a blank?

PP

 

[heakl]

Early Marsh

Early Marsh just starting to flower in Wiltshire.

Alan

 

[RPFH]

Early gentian

Not an Orchid I know but anybody seen any Early Gentian in flower yet? Or am I too early to go looking for it?

Richard

 

[LizandDave]

Plenty of Man Orchids now in flower at the Roadside Nature Reserve A225 near Eynsford, Kent now. You do have to walk about 20 yards though, lol.
I've added a photo to show Man Orchid flower colour variations at different Kent sites for interest.
Dave

 

[huchitang]

kent early marsh

The Kent early marsh orchids are also opening. Some still in tight bud so probably at their best in another 7-10 days. I could see another four but didn't want to walk around too much for fear on treading on a spike. No sign of the Southern Marsh but the Southern Marsh-Common spotted cross are going to be huge and only just getting going. These are certainly not as salmon pink as the example posted earlier but I think all of them at this site are the same colour.

Lost count of the man orchids at the site some well open others still tightly in bud. Slightly depressed by a conversion with the site manager who fears that the Man Orchids will be lost when they build a new slip road and bridge across the river. Quite a few of them have been lost to rabbits who seem to have quite a taste for them.

Chris