RED HELLEBORINE
Cephalanthera rubra
Orchid Family [Orchidaceae] 
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Orchid Family [Orchidaceae]
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status
flower
flower
flower
morph
petals
stem
rarity
| June, Near Gourdon, Lot region of France | Photo: © Kelly Finney |
| Sinuous in form, finding it hard to stand erect with up to 6 large pink well-separated flowers, each with a narrow pointed bract which is longer than the (twisted) ovary (flower stalk in Orchids). Leaves dark-green. |
| June, Near Gourdon, Lot region of France | Photo: © Kelly Finney |
Flowers in bud similar to those of small Fresia. Both petals and sepals are long and pointed. The hood is loose-fitting and the lip, short but pointed, hardly noticeable. Stem covered in short hairs. |
| June, Near Gourdon, Lot region of France | Photo: © Kelly Finney |
| The lip is narrow and pointed, white bodied and fringed pink with a pale yellow centre. |
| June, Near Gourdon, Lot region of France | Photo: © Kelly Finney |
| The flower consists of three pink outer outwardly curving sepals, two inner outwardly-curving dorsal petals, and a down-curving lip; all pointed. The outer surfaces of all flower parts, petals and sepals, are covered in short glandular hairs. |
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Not to be confused semantically with : Dark-Red Helleborine (Epipactis atrorubens) [another Helleborine but from a differing Genus] which has dark-red flowers. Uniquely identifiable characteristics Distinguishing Feature : Although some or all the photographs above were taken in France, this Helleborine does grow in the UK too, although it is very rare.
It is now part of Natural Englands' |
 Cephalanthera
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rubra
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⇐ Global Aspect ⇒ |
Orchidaceae
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 Cephalanthera (Helleborines) |
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Orchid Family [Orchidaceae]
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'Species Recovery Program'