2015 UK Orchids (2 Viewers)

[muba]

5 green flowered helleborines located in the north dunes. All were in tight bud but should be in flower in approx. a week.

Are these the var cambrensis?

 

[jeffnsue]

I foolishly posted this in the wrong thread so I’ll try again!

We’re off to South Uist for a week Friday 24th hoping to catch the tail end of Hebridean Marsh as well as possibly Lesser Twayblade and Bog Orchid. We know the whereabouts of the first but does anybody have reliable sites for the latter two on the Uists or Barra please. Naturally we’ll be looking for Irish Lady’s Tresses too and we think we know where to find them, but again if anyone has current knowledge of the best sites it would help a great deal.

Thanks in advance
Jeff

 

[Ragwort]

Recently?

Impatient for helleborines? Here's a stop-gap.
Musk Orchids on Cleeve Common a couple of weeks ago. Plenty there.
Last Saturday, at Sheepscombe, a pink thing in the undergrowth. Probably one of Barbara Cartland's lost tiaras, but just conceivably a Red Helleborine. Score 50 points if you can spot it. Of course, I had my binoculars with me.
Wednesday at Kenfig: most of the Fen Orchids dilapidating, but two seen with seed-pods; plenty of Ochroleuca Marsh Helleborines as well as the standard ones, but some seemed to be suffering from the drought; Pyramidals and Marsh Fragrants mostly finishing, but a white Marsh Fragrant in the remote western bit. Plenty of butterflies, and some nice Pyrola, Sea Holly and Sea Bindweed, if you like that sort of thing. John

Postscript: Incompetence being my greatest attribute, I at first mistakenly put this on as a new thread. By nature a neo-Luddite, I have trouble with technologies.

 

[muba]

Last Saturday, at Sheepscombe, a pink thing in the undergrowth. Probably one of Barbara Cartland's lost tiaras, but just conceivably a Red Helleborine. Score 50 points if you can spot it. Of course, I had my binoculars with me.

In Late june my ticker missed a beat when I spotted a bit of pink at the same place. No binoculars though.

 

[regor]

In Late june my ticker missed a beat when I spotted a bit of pink at the same place. No binoculars though.

...and here's my attempt at the bit of pink taken through bins with a pre-smartphone (I believe it's called a record shot!).
Roger

 

[Gareth Stamp]

Are these the var cambrensis?

I have not found any green flowered helleborines that match the description of var cambrensis. They may well still occur there. The site is pretty huge.

 

[Gravyboy]

Had a hunt through thousands of pyramidal orchids on the North Devon dunes on Friday, probably peak flowering now. Incredibly variable - ranging from 4-60cm tall, from the palest pink to deep magenta with the white from the 'throat' of the flowers extending down the central lobe to varying degrees. No albifloras or emarginatas, but one plant had inverted flowers and two plants had minute flowers (half 'normal' size for the floret).

The marsh helleborines are starting to go over, the last of the marsh orchids are limping on, but there was a nice early marsh x southern marsh in respectable condition. The common twayblades are mostly toast, but there were a few marsh fragrants beginning to show; and lots more of botanical and lepidopteral interest.

 

[davidearlgray]

Today I went to a (Peak) site where Heath Spotted, Common Spotted and Southern Marsh occur - very interesting but quite puzzling too . I don't think I'll ever sort Dacs properly.

Please can anyone tell me of a good Violet Helleborine site, the nearer to Manchester (relatively) the better. Thanks in anticipation.
Anne

Hi Anne, I've got two sites in Leicestershire for Violet Hells, one near East Midlands Airport and the other near Eyebrook Reservoir. If you need more details please PMs.
Cheers
Dave.

 

[Chris Hind]

Epipactis update Cumbria/Northumberland border

Hi

At the Williamston reserve the Tyne Helleborines are just coming into flower with some lower flowers in perfect condition. Very good numbers there.
At Miltonrigg Wood the Green-flowered Helleborines var. vectensis in the sunny dry locations are just coming into flower. Those in the shade are not yet upright. The Broad-leaved Helleborines there are similarly still bent.
Chris

 

[dsskipper]

Dune Helleborine

Good numbers of Dune Helleborine flowering at Anglesey site today. A range of plants at a variety of stages of flowering but most rather small and tatty. Still worth a visit for Marsh Helleborine too.

 

[muba]

In contrast to the flowering GFH at Marford earlier this week, a small colony of var pendula near Mold in Flintshire were still in tight bud this morning

 

[MarkHows]

Violet Helleborine var rosea

Not looking as good as last year but still worth the effort.

Mark

 

[Simon1953]

...and here's my attempt at the bit of pink taken through bins with a pre-smartphone (I believe it's called a record shot!).
Roger

Roger - you should go to Slovenia - they grow on the road verges!

Simon

https://www.flickr.com/photos/75145129@N02/19009706444/in/album-72157629080705599/

 

[Simon1953]

Epipactis phyllanthes - Penwood, Newbury

I've just been out to see how these are faring this year. The numbers are well down on the past couple of years - just 44 plants on the West verge and 39 on the East verge (cf 120 and 80 last year), and most of the plants are pretty scraggy - but then we've had virtually no rain here for the past 6 weeks (and my garden is beginning to look pretty scraggy too!).

There may be c20 'photographable' plants in flower in a week or 10 days (they're still in tight bud at the moment). I can give directions if anyone wants - but extreme care is needed as they're beside a busy road.

Piccy from last year:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/75145129@N02/9531536834/in/album-72157629080705599/

 

[ladybee]

Hi Anne, I've got two sites in Leicestershire for Violet Hells, one near East Midlands Airport and the other near Eyebrook Reservoir. If you need more details please PMs.
Cheers
Dave.

Hi Dave,
Have pm'd. Many thanks.
Anne

 

[ionh]

Epipactis phyllanthes - Herts

There may be c20 'photographable' plants in flower in a week or 10 days (they're still in tight bud at the moment).

Same down this way -- at least a week, probably two, away from full flowering.

 

[Ghostly Vision]

Not looking as good as last year but still worth the effort.

Mark

Are these the Bucks roadside plants Mark?

 

[PaulClack]

Same down this way -- at least a week, probably two, away from full flowering.

Hi there, could you let us know where these are in the Herts area please - I grew up in that neck of the woods for my sins! PM if sensitive.

In Somerset, violet helleborines about 1-2 weeks away with about 20 in a well known site near Bristol.

Cheers,

Paul

 

[prhodes]

Anyone have any thoughts on the species of Fragrant Orchid that is common around The Burren. The one below was photographed adjacent to Lough Bunny, where there were loads of them. Looking at the flower shape I'm incline to think Marsh, and the ground was pretty damp between the limestone slabs, and a only a short distance from the waters edge. (I'm only a brief visitor in the evening, off the back of occasional work trips to factories in the area).

Thank-you for any comments. Phil

 

[leptochila]

Anyone have any thoughts on the species of Fragrant Orchid that is common around The Burren. The one below was photographed adjacent to Lough Bunny, where there were loads of them. Looking at the flower shape I'm incline to think Marsh, and the ground was pretty damp between the limestone slabs, and a only a short distance from the waters edge. (I'm only a brief visitor in the evening, off the back of occasional work trips to factories in the area).

Thank-you for any comments. Phil

Looks very good for Marsh Fragrant.

Mike