Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Orchid?


Can someone identify this for me please - several found in the Shibden Valley.

5 comments:

Andrew Huyton said...

Dave it's a Common Spotted Orchid, you can also find them at EGP and no doubt at other sites around Calderdale. Still a very beautiful flower and always nice to see Orchids.

Goldon Gordon said...

Hi Andrew
I would be delighted to hear the reasons that this is a Common Spotted Orchid and not one of the many hybrids. I find Orchids incredibly difficult to seperate and would welcome some pointers.

Andrew Huyton said...

Paul, I'm no expert, I simply look in a guide book and have seen them around and thought that they must be the Common Spotted. Wasn't even aware that you got hybrids. Just looking to give Dave an answer. Happy to hear suggestions as to another species as this is the only one I believe I've seen anywhere.

Matt Bell said...

A welcome view from Colin Duke:

"I believe this to be a Common spotted, because of the deep V middle lip, however there is considerable variation in this species, it also has 3 recognised sub species.

The Dactylorhiza group freely hybridise, and we also get Southern Marsh Orchid as well.
The colouring in the photo is actually closer to Southern Marsh.
The experts are still trying to sort these out, they really are the cutting edge of plant evolution, and things are still developing.

In Calderdale we also get Heath spotted orchid,(Broadhead Clough), Bee Orchid (Crownest Quarry)
We used to have, early Purple, Fragrant, Frog, and Small White orchid. They may come back?"

Andrew Huyton said...

Colin, be grateful if you could tell me the location of Crow Nest Quarry. I came up with 2 locations on the web, one in Hipperholme the other much closer in Hebden Bridge.