Orchid Family:-

Orchids are "perennials, with either a creeping fleshy rootstock or a pair of root-tubers, and leaves always undivided and untoothed, often long, narrow, keeled and somewhat fleshy. Flowers often but by no means always showy, in unbranched terminal spikes, very various but always with 3 sepals which are usually the same colour as the 2 upper petals; lowest petal extremely variable, usually much larger than the others and in the form of a lip, often remarkably shaped and spurred behind. The flowers are in fact usually upside down; if not, the lip is uppermost. Each flower has a small leaf-like bract at its base, and the stamen and stigmas joined in a single column in the centre. The fruits are egg-shaped or cylindrical, with immensely numerous seeds like grains of dust. " from Collins Pocket Guide to Wild Flowers by David McClintock and R.S.R. Fitter assisted by Francis Rose - ISBN 0 00 219363 9 - Eleventh Impression 1978

Orchid Family plant table with its Common Name - Botanical Name. Flowering Months Range. Habitat with link to that Wild Flower Habitat Gallery:-

Common Name

Botanical Name

Flowering Months

Habitat

Heath Spotted Orchid

Dactylorchis masculata

(Dactylorhiza maculata)

May-July

This tuberous perennial herb is found on a range of well-drained or wet acidic soils in a wide variety of habitats, including grasslands, moors, heaths, flushes and bogs. It also occurs in pockets of peat on limestone and, more rarely, in open woodland.

Flower from Inverkirkaig in Sutherland on 20 June

Flowers from Inverkirkaig on 20 June

Foliage from Hothfield in June

Form from Inverkirkaig on 20 June

Flower from Kent

Flowers from Kent

Foliage from County Clare

Form

Flower from Lisdoonvarna

Flowers from Lisdoonvarna

Form from Ballynilackan in County Clare on 14 June

Form from Lisdoonvarna

Flower Buds from Murroogh in County Clare on 13 June

Flowers from Murroogh on 13 June

Flower Buds from Ballynilackan on 14 June

Flowers from County Clare

Irish Marsh Orchid

(Broad-leaved Marsh Orchid, Western Marsh-orchid)

Dactylorchis majalis

(Dactylorhiza majalis, Dactyllorhiza kerryensis, Dactylorhiza majalis subsp. occidentalis)

May-June

A tuberous perennial herb of damp, calcareous soils, growing in fens, marshes, wet meadows and dune-slacks. Lowland.

Flower from Cliffs of Moher in County Clare

Flowers from Cliffs of Moher

Foliage from Emlaghmore on 22 June

Form from Emlaghmore in kerry on 22 June

Flowers

Flowers from Ballynalachan on 14 June

Foliage

Flowers from Ballynalachan in County Clare on 14 June

Lady Orchid

Orchis purpurea

May-June

This long-lived tuberous perennial herb is found on thin calcareous soils, typically over chalk but also on clay, ragstone and Carboniferous limestone. It grows in open Corylus, Fagus or Fraxinus woodland and scrub and, more rarely, in open grassland. Lowland.

Flower from East Kent on 31 May

Flowers on 31 May

Foliage from East Kent in May

Form from East Kent in May

Double Bloom at Yocklets Bank

Flowers from Yocklets Bank

Foliage from Yocklets Bank

Sepals not fully open on 31 May

Flower from Kent on 31 May

Flower from West Kent

Flower

Sepals not fully open on 31 May

Form on 31 May with fenced off area to prevent cows eating the orchids and walkers from trampling them

Flowers from Kent on 22 May

Form

Form on 31 May

Lady's Slipper

Cypripedium calceolus

May-June, not flowering every year

A rhizomatous perennial herb found on well-drained calcareous soils derived from limestone, in herb-rich grassland or, formerly, in open woodland. Plants are long-lived but seed-set may be poor. Generally lowland, but upper altitudinal limit unknown.

Flower

Flower

Foliage

Form

Flower

Flower

Foliage

Form

Flower

Flower

Flower

Flower with Stem

Larger Scented Orchid

(Fragrant Orchid)

Gymnadenia densiflora

(Gymnadenia conopsea ssp densiflora)

July-August

A tuberous perennial herb characteristically found in base-rich wet meadows, fens and ditches. Occasionally it is recorded from N.-facing chalk and limestone grassland. It sometimes grows with G. conopsea subsp. borealis and is the most common subspecies in Ireland.

Flower

Flowers

Foliage

Form

Late Spider Orchid

(Same as Bee Orchid on Page 1)

Ophrys fuciflora

(Ophrys holoserica, Ophyrs apifera)

June

A tuberous perennial herb of calcareous, well-drained soils. Habitats include grasslands, scrub, railway banks, roadsides, lawns, sand dunes and limestone pavement; also disturbed sites such as quarries, gravel-pits and industrial waste ground. 0-335 m (near Parsley Hay, Derbys.).

Flower

Flowers from Kent on 23 June

Base Foliage from Kent

Form from Kent on 23 June

Flower from Park Gate Down

Flower

Upper Foliage from Kent

Form from Kent

Flower

Flower from Kent on 13 July

Flower from Kent on 13 July

Flower Buds

Flower from East Kent on 4 August

Flower from Kent

Flower detail from Kent in June

Form

Lesser Butterfly Orchid

Platanthera bifolia

June-July

A perennial herb of heathy pastures, grassland, open scrub, woodland edges and rides, and on moorland, often amongst Pteridium; it is found on a wide variety of acidic and calcareous soils overlying sands, gravels and clays. It is tolerant of considerable soil moisture, also being found in acidic bogs and calcareous fens. 0-365 m (Glenfeshie, Easterness).

Flower. Photo from BritishFlora

Flowers. Photo from BritishFlora

Foliage from Loch Assynt in Sutherland on 22 June

Form from County Clare

Flower from near Loch Assynt on 24 June

Flowers from near Loch assynt on 24 June

Flower on 5 June

Form from Kent in June

Flower from Kent

Flowers in Queensdown Warren on 1 June

Foliage

Form

Lesser Twayblade

Listera cordata

(Neottia cordata)

June-August

A perennial herb found in moorland and on peat bogs, often growing in Sphagnum or in the moss layer beneath Calluna and Vaccinium, always in wet, acidic conditions. It also grows in moss in damp, heavily shaded wood-carr, and occasionally under Pinus. Reproduction is by seed and root-buds. 0-1065 m (Stob Coire an Easain, Westerness).

Flower

Flowers

Foliage

Form

Lizard Orchid

Himantoglossum hircinum

June-July

A tuberous, winter-green perennial herb growing on chalk and, rarely, limestone in open grassland, on roadsides and in quarries, and occasionally on calcareous sand dunes and heathland. Lowland.

Flower from Kent on 27 June

Flowers from Kent on 27 June

Foliage from Kent on 27 June

Form of Lizard Orchid with clove-scented broomrape in Kent on 27 June

Flower from Kent

Flowers from Kent

Foliage from Kent on 27 June

Flower buds from East Kent on 11 July

Loose-Flowered Orchid

Orchis laxiflora

(Anacamptis laxiflora)

May-June

A tuberous perennial herb of base-rich or calcareous wet meadows and marshy fields. Lowland.

Flower

Flowers

Foliage

Form

Man Orchid

Aceras anthropophorum

(Orchis anthropophora)

June

This tuberous perennial herb is found in old chalk-pits and limestone quarries, calcareous grassland and on road verges. It tolerates considerable shade and is often found at the edge of scrub with grasses such as Brachypodium pinnatum. Continuous heavy grazing is detrimental, eventually causing its demise. Lowland.

Flower

Flowers from Kent on 22 May

Foliage

Form

Flower

Flower from Kent on 1 June

Flowers from Kent on 8 May

Foliage from Kent on 31 May

Form from Kent on 24 May

Flower having a shower on 8 May

Flower from Kent on 6 June

Flower Buds from Kent on 22 May

Flower Buds from Kent

Flowers

Flower

Flower from Kent on 22 May

Foliage

Form

Marsh Helleborine

Epipactis palustris

July-August

A rhizomatous perennial herb of neutral to calcareous fens, marshes, damp pastures, meadows and dune-slacks. It prefers flushed or seasonally inundated areas where competition from other vegetation is reduced. Other habitats include slumped terraces of wet, calcareous sea-cliffs and disused gravel-pits. Lowland.

Flower from Kenfig Burrows on 9 June

Flowers from East Kent on 11 June

Foliage from Kenfig Burrows on 9 June

Form from Kenfig Burrows on 11 June

Flower from Kenfig Burrows on 11 June

Flowers from Kenfig Burrows on 11 June

Flower on 9 June

Form from Kenfig Burrows on 9 June

Monkey Orchid

Orchis simia

June

This perennial, tuberous herb is found on S.-facing banks in grazed chalk grassland. It is tolerant of some degree of shade from scrub, and can also grow on woodland edges. Lowland.

Flower from Kent on 15 June

Flowers from Kent

Flower detail from Kent

Plants protected by chicken wire cones to stop them being eaten by cows

Hoodie falls over on 30 May

Flowers from Kent

Flowers from Kent in May

Hoodie locked up in protective pig fence wire

Flower from Kent on 30 May

Flowers from Kent in June

Foliage from Kent

Form from Kent

The UK Hardy Orchid Society has

• 3 indoor meetings a year
• A journal
• visits to orchid sites in the UK
• Sale of orchid plants, seeds and fungi
• Plant Shows
• Conservation of wild orchids
• Photographic competitions