While the Southern marsh and Common spotted orchids are continuing to flower amongst the Oxeye daisies, I started looking for the small, single pyramidal orchid (Anacamptis pyramidalis) that flowered rather weakly last year.
I was fearful that it would not return, but instead was very pleasantly surprised to find not one but three just coming out in the same area. Subsequently I found another, tiny one alongside. There are also two more, close to each other but several yards away from the rest. Thus the total so far is 6 this year.
It is exciting to see this increase in numbers. I thought this slightly acidic clay-soil meadow would not be suitable for them. It is typically found on limestone soils, or by the coast, on cliffs and sand dunes. However it is well known to colonise new habitats such as road verges and industrial sites where the soil is well-drained. My meadow seems akin to that category.
I have always thought the name “Pyramidal” does not fit well, as there are none of the straight lines involved in a pyramid shape that can have a 3, 4, 5, or even more-sided base. Perhaps “Conical” would have been better, but unfortunately there already is a Conical orchid (Orchis conica or alternatively named Neotinea tridentata var conica), which lives in western Mediterranean climes.
What’s more, our “Pyramidal” often goes on to be cylindrical as more individual flowers open. Can anyone think of a new name that would be better? Anyway, regardless of what they are called, they are a very welcome sight.
Photos: 1. Pyramidal orchids in meadow, 2. Pyramidal orchid, 3. Orange hawkweed and Oxeye daisy, 4. Southern marsh orchid close-up
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