Family: Orchid [Orchidaceae]


Anacamptis

Calypso

Cephalanthera

Coeloglossum

Corallorhiza

Cypripedium

Dactylorhiza

Epipogium

Epipactis

Goodyera

Gymnadenia

Hammarbya

Herminium

Himantoglossum

Liparis

Neotinea

Neottia

Ophrys

Orchis

Platanthera

Pseudorchis

Serapias

Spiranthes

Non-natives


SYMBIOSIS and ORCHIDS
Most Orchids are hemi-parasitic on underground fungi, obtaining some of their nutrients from the fungus whilst not benefiting the fungus in any known way. (If both were to benefit, it would be called 'mutualistic' [formerly known as 'symbiotic']). The fungal mycorrhizal hyphae filaments penetrate parts of the orchid and supply it with energy, but certain parts of the orchids, such as the tubers and other storage organs, possess phytoalexins which are toxic to the fungi and thus penetration there is highly discouraged. The hyphae, which penetrate some cells of the orchid, form loops and coils within them called 'pelotons'. At intervals the orchid digests the pelotons absorbing the nutrients: water, carbohydrates, mineral salts and other organic materials. The main fungal associates with orchids are the Basidomycetes and Rhizoctonia groups of fungi (some other members of the latter group are soil saprotrophs or pathogens). Thus orchids cannot be made to grow just anywhere, most require a fungal donator to be present in the soil. Many orchid seeds may lie dormant in the soil for up to 10 years before the correct fungus miraculously comes along.

Some species of orchid are highly specific, able to use just one particular fungus (such as orchids belonging to the Spirantes, Goodyera and Liparis genera), but most are not really that bothered and can utilise many species of fungi, sometimes many more than one at once. Those orchids that are dependent upon just one fungus are usually rare, because they simply will not grow without that one fungus, Burnt-tip Orchid being a good example.

Most orchids can also photosynthesize once above ground; for many have green leaves containing chlorophyll (the normally essential compound which makes leaves green and which is required for photosynthesis), but still continue to supplement their needs with the aid of fungal hyphae. But there are a few orchids which are totally dependent upon the fungus even when the aerial parts are extant, such as Coralroot Orchid, Ghost Orchid, Bird's-nest Orchid and Yellow Bird's-nest Orchid, since they lack chlorophyll altogether. The latter orchids are thus fully saprophytic, or, to be more accurate, myco-heterotrophic.


WASPS and ORCHID POLLINATION
Honeybees are the main pollinators of flowers for fruit crops but for orchids and other wild flowers it is Wasps and other insect. About 100 different Orchids including Helleborines rely entirely on Wasps as their sole pollinators. Whilst there are only about 25,000 different bee species in the World, there are about 110,000 species of wasp.

The orchids have a cunning plan to attract wasps to pollinate them. Whilst bees are attracted to flowers for their sweet nectar, wasps are attracted to Orchids by the same volatile chemicals that normal flowers emit when under attack from caterpillars. But there are no caterpillars attacking the Orchids; they are producing these chemicals on their own bat to attract wasps. The wasps proceed to sip the nectar from Orchids which contain sleep inducing agents, possibly alcohol and other secondary metabolites. In the process the wasps might inevitably pick up pollen and transfer it to other similar orchids for fertilisation. [Another source has it that the orchids emit a pheromone mimicing that from fertile female insects, to which the newby male insects are attracted and try to make love with the orchid flower, in the process getting orchid pollen on their backs to transfer to the next orchid. The older males can sometimes figure out that the 'mating' was fake and avoid visiting the flowers next encounter, but newby males fall for the trick]. So take your pick. Both mechanisms might be in use.

Without inebriated wasp pollinators the orchids may become extinct. But the wasps are disadvantaged also; either by ejaculating all their sperm into orchids or by being unable to find a real mate amongst all the orchids. However (in Australia - your Author knows not for other lands) the wasps who visit these flowers are haplodiploid species, where the wasp offspring produced by sexual unions are all female, but where females can also produce male wasps asexually without intercourse.



[CYPRIPEDIUM] Lady's-slipper

Lady's-Slipper Orchid (Cypripedium calceolus). Photo: © Roger Hewitt



[ANACAMPTIS] Pyramidal Orchids

 

[Anacamptis]
PYRAMIDAL ORCHID HYBRID CHART
[Anacamptis]
PYRAMIDAL ORCHID
HYBRIDS
BSBI MAPS
Loose-flowered
Orchid

(laxiflora)
Green-winged
Orchid

(morio)
Pyramidal
Orchid

(pyramidalis)
Pyramidal
Orchid

(pyramidalis)
    Anacamptis pyramidalis
x
Gymnadenia conopsea

(X Gymnanacamptis anacamptis)

Green-winged
Orchid

(morio)
Anacamptis
×
alata
Orchis mascula
x
Anacamptis morio

(X Anacamptorchis morioides)

 
Loose-flowered
Orchid

(laxiflora)
Anacamptis
×
alata
 

In addition to the above hybrid, Pyramidal Orchid (Anacamptis pyramidalis) also hybridizes with Fragrant Orchid sens. lat.(Gymnanadenia conopsea) which is from a differing Genus. In the above chart it is shown in a green square (which is on the forbidden diagonal because it doesn't hybridize with another Anacamptis species). The resulting hybrid, X Gymnanacamptis anacamptis (Anacamptis pyramidalis x Gymnadenia conopsea) is therefore an inter-Genus hybrid, and cannot be shown on the above chart. That being said, it hasn't been seen in the England since AD2000, but is found in one hectad square on the coastline of Northern Ireland.

Another cross-genus hybrid is that between Green-winged Orchid (Anacamptis morio) and Early-purple Orchid (Orchis mascula) which is from a differing genera (although both are in the same family). The resulting cross is called X Anacamptorchis morioides. It too is shown in a green square on the forbidden diagonal. There are thus no species belonging to the Anacaptis Genus which do not (at the moment) hybridize (with something).

All UK species hybridize, there are no UK species lacking hybrids.

Pyramidal Orchid (Anacamptis pyramidalis). Photo: © RWD

Green-Winged Orchid (Anacamptis morio) Photo: © Phil And Ann Farrer

Loose-Flowered Orchid (Anacamptis laxiflora) Photo: © Phil And Ann Farrer



[GYMNADENIA] Fragrant-Orchids

All three species of Fragrant Orchid have a great propensity for their so-called 'identifying features' to overlap so much that quite often it is impossible to separate the three species. The identifying books don't help much either for there are at least 6 ID guides to separating the three species, but often they also disagree on which features are better for identifying them. The only fool-proof reliable way of identifying them for certain is by DNA analysis, whereupon the delineation between the three is clear-cut (it is by this means that the 3 species were split from just one species with 3 sub-species in the first place). But hardly anyone has a DNA analyser, let alone an affordable lightweight portable one for use in the field and even if they had, most plants have not yet been scanned or added to the DNA database (as far as your Author understands - as of March 2019).

Fragrant Orchids are possibly the hardest flowers to reliably and accurately identify in the field, and there are some that cannot. If any reader thinks I have mis-identified any, please let me know which one(s) and what their real identities are - or if it is one of those unidentifiables and just needs deleting (then I'll go and dig it up :-).

Some experts say that the 3 species don't flower at the same time, but others say that you cannot rely on this! Most of the 3 Fragrant Orchids don't grow together anyway, some areas have only one species, some two (as in Nob End) and a few (Waitby Greenriggs) all three species, but not usually all flowering at the same time.

But a Fragrant Orchids itself, counting the 3 as just one, is easily identified as a Fragrant Orchid, the trouble only comes when trying to determine which one...

To pour confusion on top of confusion, all three Fragrant Orchids can occasionally form inter-genera hybrids with orchids from differing genera, usually from the Dactylorhiza family but Conopsea species singly with either the Anacamptis genera or the Coeloglossum genera. Intergenera hybrids should not really occur if the taxonomy is correct, intergenera hybrids usually indicate that the taxonomy is wrong, but in the case of Orchids, this taxonomy will never be sorted out, there are other unseen players on the field: their fungal partners.

 

[Gymnadenia]
FRAGRANT ORCHIDS HYBRID CHART
[Gymnadenia]
FRAGRANT-ORCHIDS
HYBRIDS
BSBI MAPS
Heath
Fragrant
Orchid

(borealis)
Chalk
Fragrant
Orchid

(conopsea)
Chalk
Fragrant
Orchid

(conopsea)
  Pseudorchis albida
x
Gymnadenia borealis

(A Hybrid)

Heath
Fragrant
Orchid

(borealis)
Anacamptis pyramidalis
x
Gymnadenia conopsea

(X Gymnanacamptis anacamptis)


Dactylorhiza incarnata
x
Gymnadenia conopsea

(A Hybrid)

 

The Gymnadenia genus exhibits no same-genus hybrids, but has three inter-genus hybrids. The first is between Chalk Fragrant-orchid (aka Common Fragrant-orchid) (Gymnadenia conopsia) and Small-white Orchid (Pseudorchis albida), the hybrid has no other name other than Pseudoorchis albida x Gymnadenia borealis.

Two others occupy the same green square, for both are hybrids with Heath Fragrant-Orchid (Gymnadenia conopsea):
The first of these being with Pyramidal Orchid (Anacamptis pyramidalis) yielding the hybrid X Gymnanacamptis anacampti
The second being with Early Marsh-orchid (Dactylorhiza incarnata), the result having no other name than Dactylorhiza incarnata x Gymnadenia conopsea.

Gymnadenia SPECIES LACKING HYBRIDS
(Gymnadenia conopsea s.l.) Fragrant-Orchid
(Gymnadenia densiflora) Marsh Fragrant-Orchid

Chalk Fragrant-Orchid (Gymnadenia conopsea) Photo: © RWD

Marsh Fragrant-Orchid (Gymnadenia densiflora) Photo: © RWD



[DACTYLORHIZA] Marsh-Orchids

   

MARSH-ORCHID HYBRID CHART (shrunk)
Hybrid Chart: MARSH ORCHID (larger)

BSBI DISTRIBUTION MAPS OF INTER-GENERA HYBRIDS BETWEEN MARSH-ORCHIDS
Inter-Genera Hybrid Parents
X Dactyloglossum mixtum Coeloglossum viride x Dactylorhiza fuchsii
(Frog Orchid X Common Spotted-orchid)
X Dactyloglossum viridellum Coeloglossum viride x Dactylorhiza purpurella
(Frog Orchid X Northern Marsh-orchid)
X Dactyloglossum conigerum Coeloglossum viride x Dactylorhiza maculata
(Frog Orchid X Heath Spotted-orchid)
X Pseudorhiza bruniana Dactylorhiza maculata x Pseudorchis albida
(Heath Spotted-orchid X Small-white Orchid)
X Dactylodenia legrandiana Dactylorhiza maculata x Gymnadenia conopsea
(Heath Spotted-orchid X Chalk Fragrant-Orchid)
X Dactylodenia st-quintinii Dactylorhiza fuchsii x Gymnadenia conopsea
(Common Spotted-orchid X Chalk Fragrant-Orchid)
X Dactylodenia varia Gymnadenia conopsea x Dactylorhiza purpurella
(Chalk Fragrant-Orchid X Northern Marsh-orchid)
X Dactylodenia wintoni Dactylorhiza praetermissa x Gymnadenia conopsea
(Southern Marsh-orchid X Chalk Fragrant-Orchid)
Dactylorhiza incarnata
x
Gymnadenia borealis
Dactylorhiza incarnata x Gymnadenia conopsea
(Early Marsh-orchid X Chalk Fragrant-Orchid)

OTHER EARLY MARSH-ORCHIDS
(which may be involved in hybridization above)
(Dactylorhiza incarnata ssp. coccinea) Early Marsh-orchid
(Dactylorhiza incarnata ssp. cruenta) Early Marsh-orchid
(Dactylorhiza incarnata ssp. gemmana) Early Marsh-orchid
(Dactylorhiza incarnata ssp. incarnata) Early Marsh-orchid
(Dactylorhiza incarnata ssp. ochroleuca) Early Marsh-orchid
(Dactylorhiza incarnata ssp. pulchella) Early Marsh-orchid

Common Spotted-Orchid. (Dactylorhiza fuchsii) Photo: © RWD

Heath Spotted-Orchid (Dactylorhiza maculata ssp. ericetorum) Photo: © Celia Lewis

Early Marsh-Orchid sub-species pulchella.
(Dactylorhiza incarnata))
Photo: © RWD

Northern Marsh-Orchid.
(Dactylorhiza purpurella ssp. majaliformis)
Photo: © RWD

Southern Marsh-Orchid. (Dactylorhiza praetermissa) Photo: © RWD



[NEOTTIA] (formerly LISTERA) Twayblades

Bird's-Nest Orchid (Neottia nidus-avis) Photo: © Phil And Ann Farrer

Common Twayblade (Neottia ovata). Photo: © RWD



[CORALLORHIZA] Coralroot Orchid

Coralroot Orchid (Corallorhiza trifida) Photo: © Simon Melville



[HAMMARBYA] Bog Orchid

Bog Orchid (Hammarbya paludosa) Photo: © Simon Melville



[HERMINIUM] Orchids

Musk Orchid (Herminium monorchis) Photo: © Dawn Nelson



[ORCHIS] Orchids

 

[Orchis]
LADY ORCHID HYBRID CHART
[Orchis]
LADY ORCHID
HYBRIDS
BSBI MAPS
Man
Orchid

(anthropophora)
Early-purple
Orchid

(mascula)
Lady
Orchid

(purpurea)
Monkey
Orchid

(simia)
Monkey
Orchid

(simia)
Orchis
×
bergonii
  Orchis
×
angusticruris
Lady
Orchid

(purpurea)
    Orchis
×
angusticruris
Early-purple
Orchid

(mascula)
  Orchis mascula
x
Anacamptis morio

(X Anacamptorchis morioides)

   
Man
Orchid

(anthropophora)
    Orchis
×
bergonii

Orchis anthropophera was formerly in another genus, Aceras and was then called Aceras anthropopherus (note the subtle change in the name ending too), but has since been moved into the Orchis Genus, where its hybrid with Monkey Orchid (Orchis simia) no longer makes it an inter-genera hybrid.

There is, however, another Orchis species that does indeed cross hybridize with another Genus, that of Orchis mascula (Early-Purple Orchid) which crosses with Anacamptis morio (Green-winged Orchid) to produce the cross-genus hybrid X Anacamptorchis moroides. This hybrid is shown in a green square, occupying a position on the forbidden diagonal of the chart which is just a convenient place to put it.

Orchis SPECIES LACKING HYBRIDS
(Orchis militaris) Military Orchid

Early-Purple Orchid. (Orchis mascula) Photo: © RWD

Man Orchid (Orchis anthropophora) Photo: © Kelly Finney

Military Orchid (Orchis militaris) Photo: © Kelly Finney

Monkey Orchid (Orchis simia) Photo: © Kelly Finney



[OPHRYS] Bee Orchids

 

[Ophrys]
BEE ORCHID HYBRID CHART
[Ophrys]
BEE ORCHID
HYBRIDS
BSBI MAPS
Bee
Orchid

(apifera)
Late
Spider-orchid

(fuciflora)
Fly
Orchid

(insectifera)
Early
Spider
Orchid

(sphegodes)
Early
Spider
Orchid

(sphegodes)
    Ophrys
×
hybrida
Fly
Orchid

(insectifera)
apifera
×
insectifera
  Ophrys
×
hybrida
Late
Spider-orchid

(fuciflora)
Ophrys
×
albertiana
   
Bee
Orchid

(apifera)
Ophrys
×
albertiana
apifera
×
insectifera
 

All UK species hybridize, there are no UK species lacking hybrids.

Bee Orchid. (Ophrys apifera) Photo: © Roger Foden

Wasp Orchid (Ophrys apifera var. trollii) Photo: © Kelly Finney

Fly Orchid (Ophrys insectifera) Photo: © Phil And Ann Farrer

Early Spider-Orchid (Ophrys sphegodes) Photo: © Kelly Finney



[EPIPACTIS] Helleborines

The Helleborines are in two genera, the Cephalanthera, and the Epipactis, the main difference between the two being that Cephalanthera species have flowers that do not fully open so the un-spurred lip is often hidden whereas the un-spurred lips of Epipactis species are easily visible.

Helleborines grow only in dark bare places usually at the edges of woodland, for only here can they survive. But with little photosynthesis to be had in a deciduous woodland, they also rely on underground fungi to help them with essential nutrients.

 

[Epipactis]
HELLEBORINE HYBRID CHART
[Epipactis]
HELLEBORINE
HYBRIDS
BSBI MAPS
Dark-red
Helleborine

(atrorubens)
Broad-leaved
Helleborine

(helleborine)
Violet
Helleborine

(purpurata)
Violet
Helleborine

(purpurata)
  Epipactis
×
schulzei
Broad-leaved
Helleborine

(helleborine)
Epipactis
×
schmalhausenii
Epipactis
×
schulzei
Dark-red
Helleborine

(atrorubens)
Epipactis
×
schmalhausenii
 

Epipactis SPECIES LACKING HYBRIDS
(Epipactis dunensis) Dune Helleborine
(Epipactis leptochila sens. str.) Narrow-lipped Helleborine
(Epipactis palustris) Marsh Helleborine
(Epipactis phyllanthes) Green-flowered Helleborine
(Epipactis sancta) Linsdisfarne Helleborine

Marsh Helleborine (Epipactis palustris) Photo: © RWD

Broad-Leaved Helleborine (Epipactis helleborine) Photo: © Roger Foden

Dark-Red Helleborine (Epipactis atrorubens) Photo: © Jim Barton

Tyne Helleborine (Epipactis dunensis ssp. tynensis) Photo: © Jim Barton

Dune Helleborine (Epipactis dunensis ssp. dunensis) Photo: © Ian Howarth

Violet Helleborine (Epipactis purpurata) Photo: © Simon Melville

Narrow-lipped Helleborine (Epipactis leptochila) Photo: © Ian Howarth



[CEPHALANTHERA] Helleborines

The Helleborines are in two genera, this the Cephalanthera, and the Epipactis, the main difference between the two being that Cephalanthera species have flowers that do not fully open so the un-spurred lip is often hidden.

White Helleborine (Cephalanthera damasonium) Photo: © Barney Case

Narrow-Leaved Helleborine (Cephalanthera longifolia) Photo: © Kelly Finney

Red Helleborine (Cephalanthera rubra) Photo: © Kelly Finney


[SPIRANTHES] Lady's-Tresses

Autumn Lady's-Tresses (Spiranthes spiralis) Photo: © Rupert Browning

Irish Lady's-Tresses (Spiranthes romanzoffiana) Photo: © Phil And Ann Farrer



[PSEUDORCHIS] Small-White Orchid

Small-White Orchid (Pseudorchis albida) Photo: © Phil And Ann Farrer



[PLATANTHERA] Butterfly-Orchids

Greater Butterfly-Orchid (Platanthera chlorantha) Photo: © Phil And Ann Farrer

Lesser Butterfly-Orchid (Platanthera bifolia) Photo: © RWD



[NEOTINEA] Twayblades

Dense-Flowered Orchid (Neotinea maculata) Photo: © Phil And Ann Farrer

Burnt-Tip Orchid (Neotinea ustulata) Photo: © Paul Bishop



[COELOGLOSSUM] Frog Orchid

Frog Orchid (Coeloglossum viride) Photo: © Phil And Ann Farrer



[GOODYERA] Creeping Lady's-Tresses

Creeping Lady's-Tresses (Goodyera repens) Photo: © Phil And Ann Farrer



[CALYPSO] Calypso Orchids

Calypso Orchid (Calypso bulbosa) Photo: © Phil And Ann Farrer

Lady Orchid (Orchis purpurea) Photo: © Phil And Ann Farrer



[HIMANTOGLOSSUM] Lizard Orchid

Lizard Orchid (Himantoglossum hircinum) Photo: © Phil And Ann Farrer



NON-NATIVE ORCHIDS

[LIMODORUM] Limodores

Violet Limodore (Limodorum abortivum) Photo: © Kelly Finney



[SERAPIAS] Tongue-Orchids

Tongue-Orchid (Serapias lingua) Photo: © Hester Coley

Family: Orchid [Orchidaceae]

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