Adventures in Orchidaceae pt 10 .. Fairmile Bottom, West Sussex

It's been a while since I enjoyed a "Big Day Out" looking for orchids. However, with R staying over, and him not being sure he had ever seen a Fly Orchid (Ophrys insectifora)? It was a good excuse for the three of us to head into West Sussex to a site I know fairly well, and see what orchid species we could find.

Dactylorhiza x mixtum

Since I last visited Fairmile Bottom, there has been some ongoing work to reduce the scrub and trees on the main grassland - with the insidious Dogwood (Cornus sanguinea) and birch (Betula sp.) encroachment being targeted in particular.

This recent clearance seriously affected my "muscle memory" of the site and where certain orchid species might be found, but after 20mins or so of wandering in vain, I finally tripped over a small colony of Frog Orchid (Dactylorhiza viridis), along with a cracking example of what I thought was a strong candidate for Dactylorhiza x mixtum the hybrid of Frog Orchid and Common Spotted-orchid (Dactylorhiza fuchsii).

Having forgotten to bring my well thumbed copy of Britain's Orchids along with me, I had to wait until we got home to review the find. Having checked the literature, which only helped to add a level of doubt to my identification, I was chuffed to have the hybrid confirmed by one the books authors Sean Cole, via the Native Orchids of Britain and Ireland, Facebook Group. We are certainly blessed to live in an age where access to natural history experts has perhaps never been easier, which to my mind, is the main reason I remain on certain social media platforms!

Whilst R and A spent more time with the Frogs I headed uphil for Fly Orchid, of which I duly found a handful or so, along with several more Frog Orchid, and a Common Twayblade (Neottia ovata). The Fly Orchid did not seem as abundant as I remember them, perhaps suppressed by an encroachmant of Dogwood and Old Man's Beard (Clematis vitalba)?

Frog Orchids

Common Spotted-orchid

Heading to the other end of the grassland we searched for Southern Marsh Orchid (Dactylorhiza praetermissa), but I could not find any, although I turned up a few potential contenders for Dactylorhiza x grandis the hybrid Common Spotted-orchid x Southern Marsh Orchid? Having stopped to look at another Common Twayblade, R noticed a Southern Marsh Orchid rosette about a foot beyond it!

Dactylorhiza x grandis

Bee Orchid (Ophrys apifera)

Common Spotted-orchid

Dactylorhiza x grandis (flwr and leaf detail)

Southern Marsh Orchid

Adventures in Orchidaceae pt 6 .. The Lizard Peninsula ..

A cracking weekend spent on the Lizard, Cornwall exploring the richness of its orchids, wildflowers and invertebrates, under the generous and exuberant guidance of The Lizard Naturally.

Time well spent on the Goonhilly, Crousa, and Lizard Downs provided opportunity to enjoy two orchid "lifers" (for me) and in the case of the latter site, possibly adding two new orchid species to the sites existing flora list? Along the way we also found the numerous hybrids which occur where individual species overlap their ranges.

Starting with the Goonhilly Downs and Traboe Cross:

Early marsh-orchid
(Dactylorhiza incarnata var. incarnata)

Heath fragrant-orchid (Gymnadenia borealis)

Heath spotted-orchid (Dactylorhiza maculata)

Heath spotted-orchid x Heath fragrant-orchid
X Dactylodenia evansii

Dropping south to Crousa Down, we re-encountered Early marsh-orchid var. incarnata in both its purple and white forms:

Early marsh-orchids, Crousa Down

Heath spotted-orchid x Early marsh-orchid
Dactylorhiza x carnea

Crousa Down also had an awful lot of Royal fern (Osmunda Regalis) going on - a fern I think I have only ever seen elsewhere as single plants?

Another plant, Petty whin (Genista anglica) - I'm not sure I have knowingly encountered before? If I have seen it previously, I had certainly forgotten about it.

Royal fern

Petty whin

Today, following the compulsory sea-watch from Lizard Point; and in between the cooking time intervals of the Sunday Roast we headed to a private site on the Lizard Downs.

Having been told it was "my job to count the orchids" it quickly became apparent that this was a set-up!

The site was literally covered in orchids, with the shorter turf heaving with Heath spotted-orchids, boggling amounts - and then we hit the flushes of Southern marsh-orchid (Dactylorhiza praetermissa).

In the orchid interzone we found numerous hydrids - some of which were exhibiting exhausting amounts of "hybrid vigour"!

Heath spotted-orchids, Lizard Downs

Southern marsh-orchid, Lizard Downs

Heath spotted-orchid x Southern marsh-orchid
Dactylorhiza x hallii

After much jaw-dropping perambulation we also stumbled across singles of Early marsh-orchid and Heath fragrant-orchid, both of which are to the best of our knowledge, first records for the site.

Early marsh-orchid, Lizard Downs

Heath fragrant-orchid, Lizard Downs

It was a stunning hour's distraction, all the sweeter knowing that back home the chicken was roasting in it's garlic-enfused juices.

I was still making hasty notes to capture the detail of the weekend's exploration, as Sunday lunch was served.

Orchids - so far this year

Neottia ovata

Kithurst Hill

Orchis mascul
Butser Hill

Neottia nidus-avis
Undisclosed site

Dactylorhiza fuchsia
Catherington Down

common-spotted orchid and Zygaena trifolii

Butser Hill

Dactylorhiza praetermissa

Undisclosed site

Anacamptis pyramidalis

Halnaker Windmill

Gymnadenia conopsea
Catherington Down

Ophrys apifera
Fairmile Bottom

Ophrys insectifera

Undisclosed site

Coeloglossum viride

Undisclosed Site

West Sussex - orchids on the chalk in June