Which Dactylorhiza?

[Lesley Cox]

I don't have any problem with whiteflies (no greenhouse) but perhaps those people who do, should grow some Pinguiculas with their tomatoes? Oh dear, here I am again way out on another subject.

[Maren]

That's what I do, Leslie, I 'sprinkle' my Pleione house with pinguiculas, placed on upturned pots so that they are a bit higher than the pleiones and attract passing visitors. It works a treat. I just have to remember to put the pinguiculas into my tropical greenhouse for the winter as they do not like the low temperatures my pleiones can manage.

[WimB]

That's what I do, Leslie, I 'sprinkle' my Pleione house with pinguiculas, placed on upturned pots so that they are a bit higher than the pleiones and attract passing visitors. It works a treat. I just have to remember to put the pinguiculas into my tropical greenhouse for the winter as they do not like the low temperatures my pleiones can manage.

Maren, you could use Pinguicula's from moderate climate zones!

[Hoy]

I've often seen in the wild that P. vulgaris takes ants too. However, they're not any good flycatchers in winter when they are completely dormant

[Lesley Cox]

Mine are fron seed Wim sent to me and are still tiny but well, and numerous. Only grandiflora so far but I'm hoping vulgaris will germinate soon. These seem very hardy or at least fully so in my climate. I say one (vulgaris?) both on the north English moors and on Mt Snowdon so I guess it would be tough enough.

[WimB]

I've often seen in the wild that P. vulgaris takes ants too. However, they're not any good flycatchers in winter when they are completely dormant

That's perfect Trond, no fruitflies in the Pleione-pots during winter  (not here anyway  )

Mine are fron seed Wim sent to me and are still tiny but well, and numerous. Only grandiflora so far but I'm hoping vulgaris will germinate soon. These seem very hardy or at least fully so in my climate. I say one (vulgaris?) both on the north English moors and on Mt Snowdon so I guess it would be tough enough.

They are really tough, Lesley. And they really need a rest during winter, when they make hibernacula to get through the low temperatures

[Ulla Hansson]

When I was a kid so I picked bouquets of Pinguicula vulgaris and Primula farinosa, which I gave to the mother. I loved to pick flowers, but mother was not  fond of taking care of all the bouquets that we siblings picked.
P. vulgaris is perfectly hardy.

[gote]

Returning to the subject:
It is quite admissible to call it Dactylorhiza maculata since that would cover all four subspecies You only need to say 'complex' if you are a splitter. Stålberg’s thesis is admirable but it is not helpful in identifying the subspecies – he takes the identification as already set.

The picture of the leaves is, however to some extent helpful since typical ssp fuchsii has a more or less strap-shaped lowest leaf with rounded end. This is clearly here not the case. D. m. maculata is tetraploid but usually smaller than ssp fuchsii. The type specimen of Dactylorhiza maculata can be seen in the Linnean Herbarium under Orchis maculata. It has markedly more narrow leaves than in the picture. This is also my observation here in Sweden. The local specimen – which for geographical reasons should be maculta as defined by von Linné - show the same leaf shape as the type specimen. The leaves in the picture are nearly as wide as D. majalis and, without flower, this is my first guess. The width of the leaf is unfortunately of limited help since a garden-grown well-fed will have wider leaves than a wild one.

Many orchids are very promiscuos and hybrids are common. However, since D.m.m is tetrapoid and D.m.f is diploid, that particular hybrid is not very common.

The dactylorhizas we are discussing all have three-lobed lip.  D.m.m and D. m. foliosa have have very shallow lobing just as in the picture but foliosa is usually unspotted. D.m.m. also has (when young) this typically pyramidal inflorence. My guess is thus (again) a very well fed Dactylorhiza maculata ssp maculata. (Or possibly a young D. majalis which also has shallow lobes)

Cheers
Göte

[WimB]

Many thanks Göte. I'll let my friend know!