2016 UK Orchids (7 Viewers)

[leptochila]

Very close but not right! The clue is Ashdown Forest which is a big acid bog and heathland site. It's a Heath Spotted x Heath Fragrant hybrid :t: A pretty exciting find for Southern England.

Mike

 

[rmielcarek]

I did my annual mid June explore of the trunk roads of Bristol today and managed to find plenty of orchids at two managed embankments; plenty of Pyramidals at the first, including 5 var emarginata, plenty of Common Spotted and a few x grandis.

At the second there were 4 Lizards, a few Pyramids and loads of Common Spotted including 16 var albas.

Rich M

 

[jeffnsue]

Sneaky, Mike, great find though.
Jeff

 

[ladybee]

Two lovely Common Spotted orchids Rhodochila at a Peak District site.

 

[snlw]

Very nice!

Ample chlorantha Bees at Sizewell doing well on Thurs (thanks CE), and a smattering at the site a few miles SE of Norwich too.

At the former location, a v washed-out Bee was intriguing. In the field it looked a LOT paler than the photo (taken with macro flash) suggests, prompting a fellow peruser to call it as chlorantha.

I visited a couple of Norfolk sites for Fens, which were fun. Always find them hard to photograph!

James

I popped over to the site SE of Norwich yesterday & counted 13 of the chlorantha Bees, though sadly 2 had been trodden by previous careless visitors.

Cheers, Simon

 

[fgrsimon]

Anyone know if Cotswold C.Rubra is showing at all within its fortress? please let me know if out.

Had a look yesterday, there are two small plants next to the fence at the bottom, one has been chomped at the top and the other doesn't look like it's going to flower.

Couldn't see any signs of flowering plants through my 300mm lens but it's possibly a bit early. I've seen flowering plants as late as 15/07 before.

There has been quite a bit of clearance outside the cage which could be a sign of desperate measures as I think only one plant flowered last year, but it does mean there's a bit more light for those long distance shots should anything flower. I guess it will also be worth checking outside the cage in case the improved light tempts any long dormant plants in to action.

 

[Romith]

I popped over to the site SE of Norwich yesterday & counted 13 of the chlorantha Bees, though sadly 2 had been trodden by previous careless visitors.

Cheers, Simon

Hello Simon, I think my wife and I may have seen you SE of Norwich on Thursday morning?.We also saw the damaged flowers and counted 16 and just one normal Bee orchid.

Regards Roy

 

[muba]

We found two Small Whites in flower at a well known site in Powys yesterday. GBO and HFO also at their peak, with HSO starting to go over.

 

[Living Rocks]

White flowered Dactylorhiza

I’d be interested in comments on the identity of this plant. I came across two of these in the Malham area a couple of days ago. At the time I put them down as white flowered Northern Marsh but now I’m not so sure, the recurved lip looks much more like Early Marsh. I didn’t see any other Early Marsh in the area, just lots of Northern M & Common Spotted. Cheers John

 

[muba]

I’d be interested in comments on the identity of this plant. I came across two of these in the Malham area a couple of days ago. At the time I put them down as white flowered Northern Marsh but now I’m not so sure, the recurved lip looks much more like Early Marsh. I didn’t see any other Early Marsh in the area, just lots of Northern M & Common Spotted. Cheers John

To me that lip and the 'donkey ears' sepals look very much Early Marsh to be anything else

 

[muba]

Would anybody offer an identification on this Dact?
It was growing on a limestone site inland in Wales. A single specimen with only CSO as the other of the genus seen. I have my ideas, but would like uninfluenced opinions please

Steve

 

[Dave Pearson]

White Pyramidal

I found a white Pyramidal Orchid (Anacamptis pyramidalis var. albiflora) on Broughton Down LNR yesterday. It is at the far end of the reserve by a footpath so fairly easy to find. Please send me a PM if you need directions.

 

[leptochila]

I’d be interested in comments on the identity of this plant. I came across two of these in the Malham area a couple of days ago. At the time I put them down as white flowered Northern Marsh but now I’m not so sure, the recurved lip looks much more like Early Marsh. I didn’t see any other Early Marsh in the area, just lots of Northern M & Common Spotted. Cheers John

Someone found this very same plant a few days ago and posted pics on Facebook. Was it beside the boardwalk?

Definitely Early Marsh.

Mike

 

[Living Rocks]

Someone found this very same plant a few days ago and posted pics on Facebook. Was it beside the boardwalk?

Definitely Early Marsh.

Mike

It is by the Boardwalk, there are 2 of them but the second is inaccessible at about 15ft from the walkway, this one is only about 3ft out. It was obvious that other people had already found the plant as the vegetation in front of it had been ‘gardened’

 

[rmielcarek]

Would anybody offer an identification on this Dact?
It was growing on a limestone site inland in Wales. A single specimen with only CSO as the other of the genus seen. I have my ideas, but would like uninfluenced opinions please

Steve

Common Spotted Steve?

Rich

 

[muba]

Common Spotted Steve?

Rich

Naturally I did consider this Rich. But this plant is so much outside the range of appearance of the CSOs at the location. They all have the typicl common spotted tripart lip with pointed projecting middle lobe. The lip colour does not get near the pinky purple on this plant. The lip markings can be as bold but tend towards stripes rather than long curves. And overall the CSOs are slimmer and loose flowered compared to this plant which is quite stubby by comparison. Steve

 

[rmielcarek]

Naturally I did consider this Rich. But this plant is so much outside the range of appearance of the CSOs at the location. They all have the typicl common spotted tripart lip with pointed projecting middle lobe. The lip colour does not get near the pinky purple on this plant. The lip markings can be as bold but tend towards stripes rather than long curves. And overall the CSOs are slimmer and loose flowered compared to this plant which is quite stubby by comparison. Steve

But it's not outside the range of CSO Steve. Plenty of sites locally where most the plants are pale with just the odd dark one; got one site where only CSO is present but a few plants look almost identical to D. x hallii the cross between SMO and HSO.

Rich

 

[muba]

But it's not outside the range of CSO Steve. Plenty of sites locally where most the plants are pale with just the odd dark one; got one site where only CSO is present but a few plants look almost identical to D. x hallii the cross between SMO and HSO.

Rich

I see your point Rich, however this plant fits the descriptions by Harrop and Bateman of another orchid, and resemble photos available online.

 

[snlw]

Hello Simon, I think my wife and I may have seen you SE of Norwich on Thursday morning?.We also saw the damaged flowers and counted 16 and just one normal Bee orchid.

Regards Roy

Hi Roy,
Yes, if that was you when I pulled up beside you at the triangle. Well done you found 3 more than me! Shame about the damage!
Cheers, Simon

 

[Steve Jones]

Found 2 Bee Orchids at my local old Brickworks site in Preston, plus a white Orchid. I think it's a common-spotted white variant, or is it an Albino? Would appreciate views.
Cheers.