Fragrant Orchid ID please

[jeffnsue]

Hi there
Had a busy couple of days photographing orchids and I could do with a little bit of help with my Fragrant Orchids please.

These were taken Saturday 25/6 at Witton Lime Beds, Northwich and I believe them to be Marsh Fragrant.







At Cors Goch on Tuesday 27/6 there appeared to be two different species. These were growing on the limestone slopes above the marsh. Are they Heath Fragrant?







and these were growing close to the side of the marsh but not in waterlogged ground. Are they Common Fragrant? There was a nice group of maybe 20 spikes, all loose flowered like this one.







I thought that with the aid of Harrop & Harrop I'd be able to identify the different orchids myself but it appears that a little knowledge is a dangerous thing!

Help please - I'll be back later with more Marsh Orchids for ID.

Jeff

[Dorts]

Jeff, some lovely plant and photo's.
1. Marsh Fragrant -Gymnadenia densiflora. (Lip broader than long.)
2. Heath Fragrant - Gymnadenia borealis. (Lip longer than broad.)
3. Fragrant Orchid -Gymnadenia conopsea, sensu lato. ( Lip as broad as long.)
Dorts.

[jeffnsue]

Thanks Dorts, I'll be back later with Marsh Orchids, Cors Goch & Bodeilio,
Jeff

[the young hunter]

Got them ID'd in the end

Nice to see them in such good flower condition...only saw one Heath Fragrant just in flower when I was there!

Mike.

[jeffnsue]

Thanks Mike, managed to sort them out for myself in the end, but it would have been much harder without your help.

The 'Fragrants' were a doddle compared with my Marsh Orchids at Bodeilio! Just to help me narrow it down a bit before I post pictures for confirmation, can you tell me whether Southern Marsh found there or not? In think I have two ssp of Early Marsh and some Narrow Leaved (Pugsley's), but am still struggling with Harrop and Lang to confirm them.

Jeff

[the young hunter]

Originally Posted by jeffnsue

Thanks Mike, managed to sort them out for myself in the end, but it would have been much harder without your help.

The 'Fragrants' were a doddle compared with my Marsh Orchids at Bodeilio! Just to help me narrow it down a bit before I post pictures for confirmation, can you tell me whether Southern Marsh found there or not? In think I have two ssp of Early Marsh and some Narrow Leaved (Pugsley's), but am still struggling with Harrop and Lang to confirm them.

Jeff

Southern Marsh isn't found in Anglesey so definitely not that. You're right though with the Early Marsh ssp. - I saw both incarnata and pulchella within a few metres of each other along with a wide variety of different coloured, sized and shaped Narrow-leaved Marsh Orchids. I can understand you're confusion though. A number of the Narrow-leaveds didn't necessarily exhibit the classic lip shape but there is just a lot of variation at the site.

Mike.