Identification required.

[fredg]

Last winter I was given a tuber which I believed to be a Dactylorhiza of Asian origin ( the tuber shape was Dactylorhiza shaped).
However, The plant that has emerged is to me more like a Gymnadenia.
It is highly fragrant with a sweet spice smell, it filled the greenhouse with just the first flower to open now there are more, it may get too powerful when they're all open

Any ideas?

[Anthony Darby]

Is it scented Fred?

[fredg]

It is highly fragrant with a sweet spice smell, it filled the greenhouse with just the first flower to open now there are more, it may get too powerful when they're all open

Yes Anthony 

[fredg]

Sooooooooooooooooo.

I checked the Flora of China online resource.
The key for Chinese Gymnadenia is here. http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=114226
It's straightforward.
The key eliminates G. conopsea as the mid-lobe on the tongue of my plant is larger than the lateral lobes.
That leaves G. orchidis and a quickcheck on the photos for G. orchidis http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=200028689 shows plants that look like mine. 
ID confirmed 
Then I had a look at the photos for G. conopsea http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=200028688 
Now correct me if I'm wrong but isn't the mid-lobe on these larger than the lateral lobes? 

HELP!

[Anthony Darby]

It is highly fragrant with a sweet spice smell, it filled the greenhouse with just the first flower to open now there are more, it may get too powerful when they're all open

Yes Anthony 

Just checking.

It's just that I immediately thought of the fragrant orchid as it looks very similar to mine.

[daveyp1970]

Fred i thought G.orchidis as well

[fredg]

Yes Dave, I think Gymnadenia orchidis is the one that's going on the label.
In my opinion the leaves are more elliptic-oblong than linear-lanceolate, as in the key.
They match the illustration here http://www.efloras.org/object_page.aspx?object_id=86797&flora_id=5
The flowers fit the key also.

I think that draws a line under this.

Unless someone thinks differently

[fredg]

Just to finish off.

[Maren]

Please can you help me with identification, I thought I knew what they were but now I'm not sure. The pictures were taken at Moor End Common, which is an enclave of London (acid) clay, deep in the Chilterns (chalk). Here we go. Please correct me were I'm wrong. Thank you in advance.

[Peter Maguire]

Maren,
I would say that your Dactylorhiza fuchsii 3 is what I think of as typical/true D. fuchsii. The other three you have labelled as D. fuchsii seem to be hybrids (possibly with D. incarnata in view of the keeled lip??).
Having said that, I still get confused easily about Dactylorhiza identification - the more I learn, the less I understand! 

[Maren]

Thank you, Peter, I was wondering. The fuchsii 3 was a tiny plant compared to all the others, hybrid vigour comes to mind. As to being crossed with D. incarnata,, I don't know, haven't seen an incarnata in that neck of the woods. Do they grow on acid soil? Any thoughts on the maculata?

[Peter Maguire]

I'm not sure about the maculata, I thought that they were more likely to have dashes rather than spots, and to have two looped rows of them on the lip. (Mind you I'm replying to this from work, without identification guides to help me!).
Also, does maculata occur in your area - I though it was mainly found in more northern and westerly part of the British Isles? I'm not sure where Moor End Common is, in the Chilterns I assume, but if you want to check whether it is likely to be about, I recently discovered this link: http://www.bsbi.org.uk/. It's the website of the Botanical Society of the British Isles, and if you follow the links to the Atlas you can put in the name of the species you are interested in and get a map at the Tetrad or Hectad level (the Hectad level maps are incomplete). What's even more impressive is the you can download an overlay for Google Earth if you have it. Find the spot on Google Earth where you found the plant, apply the overlay, and if the area is covered by a red haze, then your species is recorded from the local area. I've it great fun to play with 

[For those readers overseas, many distribution maps of plants, insects, birds etc are prepared on Ordnance Survey mapping on a Tetrad basis (10kmx10km squares) or by Hectad (2kmx2km) - which is obviously more labour intensive and has not been complete for plant species]