In habitat site visit: Two rarities.

[SteveC2]

Well they are certainly rare up in these parts!
A quick trip across the county border into Northamptonshire, no passport required, provided the opportunity to see two natives in flower, one sadly extinct in Lincolnshire, the other at the northern limit of its range.
The fly orchid, Ophrys insectifera, was growing in virtual darkness, but then like the bluebells which surrounded it, I guess it had done most of its growing before the canopy opened.  I had to use flash, hence the darkness in the background.
The man orchid, Orchis anthropophora (Aceras anthropophora) was in full sun on bone dry turf.

[Maggi Young]

It is a treat for you to share the photos of these fine plants with us, Steve, thank you! 

[Anthony Darby]

Awesome. Thanks for posting Steve. 

[daveyp1970]

Very nice Steve

[Mitch C]

  The Aceras is very nice!!

[Maggi Young]

Hey Mitch, Welcome to you !
Are you particularly an orchid fan?

[Mitch C]

  Thanks maggi!     I really like Australian terrestrials,  I have a large sprawling colony of Corybas aconitiflorus growing in a bush area at my place! I will try for a pic in the morning!

[Maggi Young]

Wow, we'd love to see that, Mitch.  How great to have such plants sharing your patch!

[Mitch C]

  Corybas is an interesting genera, But very small...and collectable

[Maggi Young]

It is so important to have these vulnerable plants growing wild on the property of someone who appreciates them and will offer protection to them.  Then the rest of us can enjoy the pictures and envy you, with no damage to the plant population... a win-win situation! 

[Peter Maguire]

This seems a good place to post pictures of another rarity.
Our local group made a visit to Lindisfarne on Sunday with expert guidance and commentary by John Richards. The highlight for me (in spite of the rain) was finding Epipactis sancta which only grows on the island; we found six plants, possibly as much as 1% of the world population.  

[Maren]

Peter,
that must have been a treat.

[Tony Willis]

Peter

lovely plants and pictures,they must have been a delight to see.

[Peter Maguire]

Well, they're not going to set the world alight with their beauty from a distance, but they look great in closeup and are a good 'tick' as the bird twitchers would say. We did however also see hundreds of Epipactis palustris, which is a far more showy plant - I must return next year on a brighter day and perhaps a week or two earlier in the season.

[Anthony Darby]

Holy orchids from Holy Island.