Common spotted orchid
Encyclopedia
The Common Spotted-orchid (Dactylorhiza fuchsii) is a
commonly occurring species
of Europe
an orchid. It is widely variable in colour and height, ranging from 15 to 60 cm in height. The flower colour can vary from white to pale purple with purple spots. The lip has three lobes. Some colonies are highly perfumed, attractive to day-flying moths.
commonly occurring species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an orchid. It is widely variable in colour and height, ranging from 15 to 60 cm in height. The flower colour can vary from white to pale purple with purple spots. The lip has three lobes. Some colonies are highly perfumed, attractive to day-flying moths.
- Flowers: June–August.
- Leaves: narrow lanceolate, keeled, often dark-spotted.
- Distribution: widespread, occurring from alkaline marshes to chalk downland. The most common orchid in Britain. After the Bee OrchidBee OrchidThe Bee Orchid is an herbaceous perennial plant belonging to the family Orchidaceae.-Etymology:The name "Ophrys" derives from the Greek word "ophrys", meaning "eyebrow", while the Latin name of the species "apifera" refers to the bee-shaped lip.-Description: The Bee Orchid grows to a height of ....
, it is the most successful orchid coloniser of waste land.
Subspecies
- Dactylorhiza fuchsii subsp. carpatica (Batoušek & Kreutz) Kreutz (SlovakiaSlovakiaThe Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
) - Dactylorhiza fuchsii subsp. fuchsii (Europe to Siberia and Mongolia)
- Dactylorhiza fuchsii subsp. hebridensis (Wilmott) Soó (Great Britain, Ireland)
- Dactylorhiza fuchsii subsp. okellyi (Druce) Soó (Great Britain, Ireland)
- Dactylorhiza fuchsii subsp. psychrophila (Schltr.) Holub (Europe to Siberia)
- Dactylorhiza fuchsii subsp. sooiana (Borsos) Borsos (Slovakia, Hungary)