Unidentified Orchids

[GuyF]

Hi,
Last weekend I found a good patch of Orchids a short distance from my house but I'm struggling to identify them. There seem to be big differences in the patterning of the leaves and the colour of the flowers. I can't tell you too much about the field they were in except that it had gorse and bracken growing in and around it so possibly acidic soil? I know very little about orchids but I think that atleast some of these flowers are hybrids between Common-spotted Orchids and another species (Southern Marsh?)
Here are shots of four different plants:
1.


2.


3.


4.



Thanks for any help you can give,
Guy

[leifus]

I think that they are all hybrids between common spotted and southern marsh. I wish they wouldn't hybridise because you cant then say I found this or i found that without knowing that what you actually saw wasn't either this or that. Any way no one can change that and im starting to confuse myself but ah well. Hope ive helped.

[GuyF]

Thanks Leifus, that is very helpful. I know what you mean, this year I wanted to get some nice photos of pure Common-spotted and Southern Marsh Orchids but these can't count as either!
Thanks again,
Guy

[tigger]

We get a lot of cross-over of these two orchids in Corfe Mullen (Dorset). It is annoying (as Leifus says), however we do get some true ones as well. Next year try the Corfe Mullen Meadow (Dorset Wildlife Trust reserve.... Green Winged Orchids (May) then others follow. Also Orchids in the fields around the reserve (PM me for locations). Jane

[the young hunter]

They do appear to just be this hybrid, which is very common. But....

there is this variation of the Southern Marsh Orchid called 'forma junalis' which is completely the same as normal southern marsh orchids but has spotted leaves instead of unmarked ones

But looking at your photos, I'd say they are just hybrids. Just thought I'd throw that idea in the ring

By the way, number 3 photo is a pure southern marsh

mike

[GuyF]

Originally Posted by the young hunter

They do appear to just be this hybrid, which is very common. But....

there is this variation of the Southern Marsh Orchid called 'forma junalis' which is completely the same as normal southern marsh orchids but has spotted leaves instead of unmarked ones

But looking at your photos, I'd say they are just hybrids. Just thought I'd throw that idea in the ring

By the way, number 3 photo is a pure southern marsh

mike

Thanks for your help, and I'm glad that I got atleast 1 Southern Marsh from there!
Guy

[ceterach]

Originally Posted by the young hunter

But looking at your photos, I'd say they are just hybrids. Just thought I'd throw that idea in the ring

By the way, number 3 photo is a pure southern marsh

mike

Hi Mike

Not being funny I would be interested to hear your reasoning for this.

[GuyF]

Also I've just realised that I never got this one id'd, from June 2006.

At the time I thought it may be Southern Marsh Orchid, but I'm really bad with my flowers!
Guy

[the young hunter]

That's an early marsh orchid

Ceterach,

My reasoning for this is that the inflorescense shows florets intemidiate between both species. Also the spots on the leaves are very faded not like a normal common spotted. Finally, I have seen this hybrid before so I'm pretty sure about it.

I know it's not the 'leopard marsh orchid' though - I was just saying that this forma is very similar.

If you mean, why do I think number 3 is pure, it is simply because the leaves are unspotted, the florets look just like SMO as does the lip shape and patterning.



mike

[KeenTeen17]

from that we can assume he knows what hes talking about! 40 odd species of orchids under his belt can't be for nothing!