- Dactylorhiza purpurella (Stephenson & T.A.Stephenson) Soo - Northern Marsh-Orchid - Orchidaceae
© Paul Hackney
© Fiona McCrory
© Robert Thompson
(Map updated: March 2008)
© Robert Thompson
Northern Marsh-Orchid (Dactylorhiza purpurella). A plant of wet ground in dune-slacks, marshes and fens where the water is not too acidic.
The dunes of the north coast are an excellent place to view this species, and its hybrid with the Common Spotted-Orchid (D. fuchsii).
It is a handsome plant (the hybrid is even more so) with deep purple flowers whose flat lower lip is marked with darker lines and blotches. The lip is broadly diamond-shaped, not 3-lobed (unlike its close relative the Western Marsh-Orchid (D. majalis)), although it sometimes has a small point or lobe which sticks out slightly from the middle.
All names: Dactylorhiza purpurella (Stephenson & T.A.Stephenson) Soo; Dactylorhiza majalis ssp. purpurella (Stephenson & T.A.Stephenson) David Moore & Soo; Dactylorchis purpurella (Stephenson & T.A.Stephenson) Vermuelen; Orchis purpurella T. & T.A.Stephenson
NBN Atlas mapping: Species account : NBN Atlas UK Species Observations database
iNaturalist: Species account : iNaturalist World Species Observations database