Is This Dark Red Helleborine ?

[Lancashire Lad]

Found this yesterday, and am trying to confirm if it is Dark Red Helleborine. (Never seen one in the flesh ).

The flowers are certainly dark red, and the single, 300mm tall stem does have the expected liberal covering of whitish "down" patches.

Can't find any Helleborine (other than Dark Red) in my books etc. that seems to look like this.



Any opinions welcome.

Regards,
Mike.

[aeshna5]

Looks good to me. Not a plant I've seen in the UK, but saw quite a few in Estonia a few years back.

[Jim Ford]

Looks like it. It's one I've not seen - we don't get them down here.

Jim

[ceterach]

Hi Mike

I am not sure sure, the flower colour doesn't look right, neither does the lip shape, the lower bracts look rather long and the ovary does not appear hairy. I would suggest it is more likely a dark version of Broad-leaved helleborine (Epipactis helleborine).

The clinching factor would be the leaves where the DRH has much more clasping leaves than BLH.

I would be interested to know.

All the best

[Tiggrx]

It looks rather like Broad-leaved Helleborine to me too

[Lancashire Lad]

Originally Posted by ceterach

....The clinching factor would be the leaves where the DRH has much more clasping leaves than BLH....I would be interested to know....

I get to this site quite regularly, so I'll take more pics of the leaves within the next few days. (If it is still there - its right beside a path used by many dogwalkers).

Regards.
Mike.

[the young hunter]

I'd say Broad-leaved myself.

Mike

[KeenTeen17]

Hi Mike all the Dark Red Helleborines local to us are all but gone over so E. helleborine is most likely

[Jim Ford]

Originally Posted by KeenTeen17

Hi Mike all the Dark Red Helleborines local to us are all but gone over so E. helleborine is most likely

I think you're right KT17 (you usually are!)

Jim

[KeenTeen17]

Yeah its definitely E. helleborine as the sepals to the left and right of the lip are both green. In E. atrorubens, they are red.