Woodcock Orchid
Height: 10-50cm
Colour: Pink, Brown, White, and rarely Green
Flowering: March to June
Soil type: Alkaline

The 3 sepals on this species can be dark pink, white and occasionally green with the two upright petals matching. The flowers 3 to 12 flowers are spread out along a tall stem. The lip has an intricate pattern, mainly a reddish brown with a varying central H shaped mark, which may be bluish edged with off white. The two smaller side lobes are like short arms covered in hairs. The central lobe is convex with a small green / yellow upturned tip.

It may be found in a variety of habitats from alkaline to slightly acid, in damp or dry pastures. Also in garrigue, scrubland and woodland clearings to an altitude of 1700m.
Synonym: Ophrys fuciflora subspecies scolopax. (There are other very similar species of orchids from France and further east around the Mediterranean)

These images of orchids were taken in Southern Spain, many terrestrial species are widespread from the Iberian peninsular eastwards through the Mediterranean region.

TrackBack URI for this entry

Comments (0)

Subscribe to this comment's feed

Name

Email

Website

Comment

smaller | bigger

Write the displayed characters

Add Comment