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Post by NellyDee on Jul 13, 2015 10:31:16 GMT
Last year in Glen Lonan and also roadsides along A82, there was an abundant display of heath spotted and marsh orchids, colours normal range from purple to pink. I did find 2 white orchids (albino). This year in Glen Lonan there are plenty of orchids, but they are very small and mainly white with a few pink ones and some white with the petals marked as usual. Along the A82 the orchids are normal size, but again mainly white and those that are purple have no markings on the petals.
I am wondering if it is due to the awful weather we have had so far this year which has caused the difference in their growth, or have they somehow hybridised and the white orchids have become the dominant ones. I have got photos of the small orchids in Glen Lonan, but don't want to particularly want to do yet another post to show what I mean
 IMG_4628 by Wabi Gallery, on Flickr |
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Post by jeffnsue on Jul 13, 2015 11:07:11 GMT
I think the white ones are Heath Spotted NellyDee, and the pink ones are Common Fragrant Orchid I think
Jeff
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Post by NellyDee on Jul 14, 2015 12:31:56 GMT
The white ones had very narrow green leaves - no spots, which made me think that maybe they were albino. Still puzzled by the different growth from last year.
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Post by jeffnsue on Jul 15, 2015 10:17:32 GMT
The flower shape is definitely Heath Spotted. Harrap says the leaves are ‘quite frequently unspotted’ and that would tie in with a pale variety of the plant.
It’s hard to tell from the photo, but if there’s any trace of pink on the flower they’re not albino, just at the lightest end of the range of variations.
Jeff
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Post by NellyDee on Jul 16, 2015 15:56:31 GMT
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Post by jeffnsue on Jul 16, 2015 18:55:39 GMT
Not the same plants as those in Post 1 surely, those look like Heath Spotted, this looks like Common Spotted. Looks good for var alba though.
Jeff
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Post by NellyDee on Jul 16, 2015 19:21:15 GMT
You are right of course. I clicked on wrong photo, stupidly had all the orchids for ID in the same folder. This one was taken at Isle of Lismore, where I was en route to when took first posted photo. I have enlarge and zoomed other photos taken on A82 and they do have either faint pink tinge or very pale pink dots. Thanks for pushing me in the right direction:)
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Post by NellyDee on Jul 17, 2015 8:25:47 GMT
Thought you might be interested in the size of the orchid (the one I accidently posted - common spotted vr alba). I have never seen any so tall it was taller than the bracken.
 IMG_4765 by Wabi Gallery, on Flickr |
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