Dactylorhiza fuchsii Common Spotted-orchid

A common orchid of base-rich or neutral soils in grasslands, roadsides and open woodland. The leaves usually have conspicuous purple spots or blotches and the inflorescence, which usually tapers to a narrow apex, is made up of densely-packed, pink or pale purple flowers. The lower lip of the flower, which is marked conspicuously with lines and dots, has three, well-defined lobes with a distinctive, narrow-triangular, central lobe. It is frequent throughout West Glamorgan in coastal dunes, calcareous grasslands and particularly along forest roads that have been dressed with calcareous gravel. Dactylorhiza x grandis (Druce) P.F.Hunt, which is the hybrid between this species and Dactylorhiza pratermissa, has been recorded frequently in West Glamorgan (see description). Dactylorhiza x transiens (Druce) Soó, which is the hybrid between Common Spotted-orchid and Heath Spotted-orchid (Dactylorhiza maculata) has also been recorded in West Glamorgan but its exact status and distribution are not clear and not described here.

Native