Dactylorhiza purpurella
Dactylorhiza purpurella
Naturalhistoryman, 2008
D. purpurella or Northern Marsh Orchid, is a perennial orchid that can get up to 45 cm when in bloom. The stems are thick and hollow, developing late March to early April. Mainly green but can have some purple tips.
When mature the plants have four to eight green, broad and lance shaped leaves (meaning they are long with a pointy tip). The leaves of this specific are normally un-spotted. The lower leaves are 16 cm long!
The flowers are violet purple with a pale throat, opening from mid May to late July. The Lip is a complex shape and is marked with deeper purple lines or spots. The upper sepal and petals will form a loose hood over the column, which contains the sexual organs. The thick, downwards pointing spur is shorter than the purple/green ovary.
The Northern Marsh Orchid is commonly pollinated by bees and bumblebees. (Kew Gardens, 2010).
When mature the plants have four to eight green, broad and lance shaped leaves (meaning they are long with a pointy tip). The leaves of this specific are normally un-spotted. The lower leaves are 16 cm long!
The flowers are violet purple with a pale throat, opening from mid May to late July. The Lip is a complex shape and is marked with deeper purple lines or spots. The upper sepal and petals will form a loose hood over the column, which contains the sexual organs. The thick, downwards pointing spur is shorter than the purple/green ovary.
The Northern Marsh Orchid is commonly pollinated by bees and bumblebees. (Kew Gardens, 2010).
Dactylorhiza fuchsii
Dactylorhiza fuchsii
P. Dubois 2002
D.fuchsii or Common spotted Orchid, has similar characteristics to D. purpurella, the only difference are the flowers. This Orchid has light purple almost white flowers, with darker purple spots on the all petals and sepals of the flower. The leaves are the same shape as D. purpurella, and they are green and purple in the spring. (RHS, 2011).