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Lady Orchid
Orchis purpurea / Orchis fusca
Some orchids are so well named they leave their admirers in no doubt as to their variety... and here the Bee, Lizard and Monkey can be joined by the Lady Orchid - all dressed-up in a pretty frock and bonnet.
Whilst scattered widely in this region of France it is generally rare in the UK although locally common in Kent, being found in and at the edges of woodland and down onto steep roadside verges, especially on lime-rich or chalky soils - as above, where close-up photography was difficult being more careful of where my feet were positioned so as not to harm any plants.
It can lie dormant for years until disturbed by woodland coppicing and then appear in large numbers. I noticed the same phenomenon in mid-Wales with the Foxglove Digitalis purpurea often appearing in the tens of thousands a couple of years after whole hillsides had been deforested by heavy machinery.
Growing to a height of between 30cms (12 inches) and 75cms (30 inches) the head may have up to 50 flowers. The sepals and upper petals form the hood or “bonnet” which is colored a dark reddish-brown. The broad, three-lobed lip is shaped like a little figure in a dress, with two side lobes forming the arms. The lip is white to pale pink with a central cluster of minute crimson spots sprouting a few short hairs.
Apparently in Europe the Military, Monkey and Lady Orchids hybridise freely which can lead to difficulty with recognition - which I am discovering the hard way, having rejected several photographs for some of my proposed articles because of uncertainty with identification. In one way the guide book helps... but there’s nothing to beat field-work in learning about nature.
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