Dactylorhiza maculata subs. fuchsii (Orchidaceae) 178 22
Dactylorhiza fuchsii is a widespread and abundant orchid with a distribution throughout temperate Europe, as far east as Siberia and is a member of the large Dactylorhiza maculata group of the genus Dactylorhiza. Dactylorhiza fuchsii and Dactylorhiza maculata share a close morphological resemblance but their differing habitat choice is a key differentiation, with the latter species exclusively a plant of acidic or neutral substrates and Dactylorhiza fuchsii an orchid of alkaline soils. There are also morphological features that serve to distinguish them, among them, the more slender, pointed leaves and less centralized, more discreet lip markings of Dactylorhiza maculata. These characteristics seem to be less apparent in the central and eastern parts of their range and this greater convergence leads some botanists not to recognize any species separation.
Dactylorhiza fuchsii although exclusively tied to non acidic soils, is nonetheless tolerant of a wide range of conditions from the driest chalk grassland to marshes and from full sun to shade. Its flowers are typically pale with bold markings and it's not uncommon to find completely white examples.
Source: Orchids of Britain and Europe.
Tags: Botany 2022 Botany Wildflowers Orchidaceae Dactylorhiza Hypochromatic forms
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Lilium martagon (Liliaceae) 184 22
Lilium martagon (martagon lily or Turk's cap lily) is a Eurasian species of lily (Liliaceae family).
It is native to the whole of Europe (except for the British Isles and northern Europe), the Caucasus, West-Siberia, East Siberia and North Mongolia. It is naturalized in the British Isles and Northern Europe.
This plant reaches heights of 90 to 200 centimeters and produces racemes of nodding, pink recurred flowers from June to July.
Tags: Botany Botany 2022 Wildflowers Liliaceae Lilium
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Lilium martagon (Liliaceae) 184 22
Tags: Botany Botany 2022 Wildflowers Liliaceae Lilium
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Orchis brancifortii (Orchidaceae) 119 23
Orchis brancifortii (Brancifort’s Orchid) is named after the Sicilian prince Ercole Michele Branciforti who has supported the discoverer of the plant, Antonius de Bivona-Bernardi. With a height of only 10 to 25 cm, Orchis brancifortii is a small and slender plant. The stem is growing out of a rosette of 2 to 4 foliage leaves, which are unspotted. 1 or 2 leaves sheath the lower part of the stem. The cylindrical inflorescence has 7 to 25 flowers. The spur is almost as long as the ovary, very thin and horizontally spreaded or bent downwards. The ovary is sheathed by a small bract. Only the two petals form a little hood. The rounded sepals are spreaded horizontally and upwards. The three-lobed labellum is smaller than the sepals.
Orchis brancifortii is growing on rough and stony grounds, up to 1300 m.
Bloom is from April to May.
Orchis brancifortii is a species endemic to Sardinia, Sicily, and southern Italy.
Due to its limited area of distribution there are only few obervations of the white-flowered form.
Tags: Botany Botany 2023 2023 Wildflowers Orchidaceae Orchis
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Orchis militaris (Orchidaceae) 142 23
Orchis militaris (the military orchid) is a species of orchid native to Europe. It is the type species of the genus Orchis.
This plant reaches a height of between 20 and 50 cm with a robust stem and rather elongated oblong basal leaves. The inflorescence forms a dense, purplish cone consisting of 10-40 flowers. In each flower the sepals and lateral petals are united to form a pointed 'helmet' (hence the name), lilac on the outside and veined purple on the inside. The central tongue ends in two lobes separated by a tooth.
Depending on location, it flowers from April to June.
It is well distributed in Europe, reaching as far north as southern Sweden, but is rather rare in Mediterranean areas. It extends eastwards through the Palearctic to Siberia. It prefers full light on a dry calcareous substrate, e.g. unfertilised meadows, margins and light forests up to 2000 m altitude.
Tags: Botany Botany 2023 Wildflowers Orchis Orchidaceae
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