White Marsh Orchid, Cors Goch

[jeffnsue]

Hi again

Surely this rather tatty specimen can't be ssp ochroleuca of Early Marsh Orchid. Could it therfore be a white variant of Narrow Leaved Marsh Orchid.
Photos not too brilliant I'm afraid, taken under Leaden skies at Cors Goch while the sun was cracking the flags back home in Chester!









May need some help later sorting out Fragrant Orchis at Cors Goch: there seem to be two species, one on the limestone slopes and another by the side of the bog.

Jeff

[Dorts]

Jeff, sorry to disappoint, but it's an albino Early Marsh Orchid. A good find nevertheless.

Dactylorhiza incarnata subsp. ochroleuca, the lovely pale, sulphur-yellow form of Early Marsh Orchid is one of the rarest UK orchids. Currently it is only to be found in two small colonies, one in Suffolk and one in Cambridgeshire.
Dorts.

[jeffnsue]

Thanks Dort, I thought that would be the case but I'd never seem anything like it before.
To complete the picture here's a close-up of the flower.

Jeff

[Andy Warne]

Agree that it is Early Marsh Orchid. Could be a variety of the subspecies pulchella(which has narrower leaves) called ochrantha which has pale yellow flowers.
Nice find either way!

[the young hunter]

I went to Cors Goch back in late May and saw a couple of albino Early Marsh orchids like this one. Did you see the stand of huge Narrow-leaved Marsh Orchids off the path?

The fragrants on the limestone slopes and into the heathland are Heath Fragrant. Ones actually in the fen are probably Marsh Fragrant. There's also Common Fragrant growing amongst the sedge tussocks suspended above standing water along with Fly Orchids at Cors Bodeilio.

Mike.

[jeffnsue]

Thanks Mike. Didn't see the Narrow Leaved Marsh at Cors Goch, we probably didn't walk far enough, but I do have various Marsh Orchid photos from Bedeilio which I will post for ID soon. I will also post the Fragrants. The ones I described as growing on the marsh were actually right at the edge in a relatively dry area. I din't think they were Marsh Fragrant, I saw those the day before near Northwich. Best guess at the moment is Common Fragrant but you can help me out when I post them.

Jeff