Orchid ID Help

[AdeKing]

Hi,
I've been lurking her for a while, but this is the first time that I've posted.
Can anyone help me with the ID of this orchid?
I stumbled across it this morning whilst I was exploring a local wildlife trust nature reserve looking for butterflies.
The closest I can find is a Lady Orchid (Orchis purpurea), but in most images of the Lady Orchid, the plant has a reddish stem, whereas the stem in this specimen is green.





I've considered the Military Orchid, but that doesn't have the dark dorsal sepals that this example has.

Any help would be gratefully received.

Ade

[nightshade]

The lip shape is right ,it is possible that the darkening stem is age related

[wildlifesnapper]

Hi

I think it's a Lady Orchid.The colours are probably just some variation.

neil

[Hornbeam]

Great photos, Ade! No need to lurk - just show us more of your super shots.

[AdeKing]

Thanks for the replies Nightshade, Wildlife Snapper and Hornbeam.

Its good to know that you think that my ID is right, I'm still rather surprised by this find though, as I didn't know that there were any Lady Orchids left in Oxfordshire, though given the fact that the site had lots of white plant labels with letters and numbers on them stuck in the ground, I guess it could be part of a re-introduction scheme.

Thanks again for your help, and I'm sure you'll see more of me and my photos.

Ade

[IanS]

Could this be the variety known as pseudomilitaris? According to my book, it has reddish lobes on the lip resembling the arms and legs of the military orchid. the hood is normal colour. Apparently this is a rare type. Anyone know? ( my book doesnt have a picture of it!)

[AdeKing]

Thanks for the reply Ian, i've sent you a PM.

Thanks for suggesting the pseudomilitaris variant. I have had a look at this, but still can't decide whether this is what it is or not, so I've mailed the local warden to find out.

Looking at the shape of it, and comparing it to the few images that I can find, I think that it is still likely to be the Lady Orchid, but the pseudomilitaris does occur on the same site, so you never know.

thanks for looking,

Ade

[LesB]

Hi, Firstly, I am no orchid expert! However my text (Wild Guides, Britain's Orchids by David Lang) shows an example of a Lady Orchid with dark dorsal sepal and a more green than red stem. The colouration and markings are also a good match for your excellent photo's.