The Orchid Family
(Orchidaceae)
Family Description
Orchids are elegant and beautiful flowering plants. The petals form amazing shapes and colours.
Orchids all have either a root capable of sprouting a new plant (tuberous stock) or the base of the stem is swollen into a bulb-like growth.
Most orchids of the world are found in the tropics and are epiphytic, growing on the branches and trunks of trees. Species found in Britain however, mostly grow out of the soil.
The survival of most orchids depends upon a close relationship with underground fungi. This important relationship is known as a mycorrhizal association.
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Common Spotted Orchid
Dactylorhiza fuchsii
The Common Spotted Orchid is a type of Marsh Orchid.
Marsh Orchids often have dark spots on their leaves and patterns of lines and spots on their petals.
The Common Spotted Orchid is probably the commonest of the Marsh Orchids.
They often grow in large groups.
Wet, grassy habitats, open woods.
Limestone soils.
The Common Spotted Orchid has 7-12 leaves, which are usually dark spotted.
The flowers are white to reddish-purple and are crowded together in a pointed spike.
The fruit is a capsule divided into 3 sections, containing many tiny seeds.
Seasonal
Flowers from June to early August.
Geographical
Throughout Britain.
People sometimes call this orchid "Dead Men's Fingers" because of the finger-like extensions of the root.
The closely related bee-orchid grows flowers which look just like bees. These pretend bees attract real bees, which think they are in with a chance for a mating. As the bees land on top of the bee-like flowers, they pollinate the flower.
Orchid
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