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27th June 2009, Blackleach Country Pk, Walkden, Gtr M/cr. | Photo: © RWD |
A monster, maybe 3 foot high! |
22nd June 2007, Bridgewater Canal, Barton. | Photo: © RWD |
A not-quite so tall specimen. |
31st May 2007, Sandscale Haws Nature Reserve. | Photo: © RWD |
A smaller version. Leaves peel off up the stem. |
25th June 2004, Grindleford, Derbyshire. | Photo: © RWD |
The lip is marked with darker-purple lines which form two loops, which may be interrupted. |
22nd June 2007, Bridgewater Canal, Barton. | Photo: © RWD |
Has up to 150 flowers in a tapering spike. |
31st May 2007, Sandscale Haws Nature Reserve. | Photo: © RWD |
Pointed bracts intersperse the flowers in the flower-spike. |
30th May 2007, Walney Island. | Photo: © RWD |
The side-lobes are rhomboidal, the central one a tapered triangle which extends well beyond the two side lobes. |
22nd June 2007, Bridgewater Canal, Barton. | Photo: © RWD |
Flowers are coloured pale lilac or pink with darker purple markings. |
27th June 2009, Blackleach Country Pk, Walkden, Gtr M/cr. | Photo: © RWD |
Within the hood (upper) are the sexual organs and entrance to the spur. |
27th June 2009, Blackleach Country Pk, Walkden, Gtr M/cr. | Photo: © RWD |
The round hole leads into the nectar-containing spur, which tempts some insect in to sample the sweet honey, at the same time scraping its head upon the pollen-containing purplish pollinium poised above in the hood. |
27th June 2009, Blackleach Country Pk, Walkden, Gtr M/cr. | Photo: © RWD |
The two (here pink) organs parallel to each other are the caudicle (the narrower 'stem') and the pollinium containing the pollen (at the top). |
27th June 2009, Blackleach Country Pk, Walkden, Gtr M/cr. | Photo: © RWD |
Side-view of flower showing the fairly long slender and straight spur (un-like the fat conical spur typical of the Marsh-Orchids) behind the flower containing sweet nectar. The bracts are longer than the ovaries. |
27th June 2009, Blackleach Country Pk, Walkden, Gtr M/cr. | Photo: © RWD |
The leaves, most specimens have dark-purplish blotches. |
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19th Aug 2010, The Burren, Eire. | Photo: © Paula O'Meara |
Nominally a sub-species, okellyi, but Clive Stace doubts whether they qualify sufficiently for sub-species status O'Kelly's Orchid (Dactylorhiza fuchsii ssp. okellyi) has un-spotted and slender leaves. |
19th Aug 2010, The Burren, Eire. | Photo: © Paula O'Meara |
Sub-species okellyi The plant stands up to 30cm tall and the flowers are strongly scented in a square-topped spike. The flowers are white tinged faintly pinkish in places whilst the lobes are almost equal length and rounded. |
Easily confused with : Heath Spotted-Orchid (Dactylorhiza maculata) but that has narrower leaves which have smaller spots and a more pyramidal flowering spike. The flowers of Heath Spotted-Orchid have a broader lip with shorter central lobe and finer markings which extend over the whole surface of the lower lip and form perhaps only a single broken loop on each side. Distinguishing Feature : For an orchid, the flowers taper towards the top in a spike. Totally white un-marked specimens with longer flowering spikes than ssp okelly are not un-common, and given the moniker 'alb'. Perhaps the U.K.'s most common orchid. Flowers mid-May to early August. The stems are hollow which can be tested by a gentle squeeze. There are two sub-species :
Plus one variety :
Often hybridizes with :
Rarely hybridizes with :
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fuchsii ![]() |
⇐ Global Aspect ⇒ |
Orchidaceae ![]() |
![]() Dactylorhiza (Marsh-Orchids) |
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