thewesternisles.co.uk

Western Isles Wildflowers

Western Isles wildflowers is a collection of information about our Hebridean wildflowers including identification hints, traditional herbal uses and general plant lore.

 

Heath Spotted-orchid

Dactylorhiza maculata subsp ericetorum

Gaelic name: Mogairlean Mòintich

		Orchid ID Notes Pale coloured orchids Intense coloured orchids White or green orchids Sources of notes

These pages will develop into full details later in the year, but for quick identification purposes, there are two main orchid species with a white or pink colour like this, the Heath-spotted orchid and the Hebridean-spotted orchid.

The heath-spotted orchid likes moorland, acid soil, so if you are on sandy machair soil looking at a pale pinkish orchid and there are no tormentil growing within the same area, you are probably looking at a hebridean spotted-orchid. (or a hybrid species that has some Hebridean spotted-orchid in it).

If there is tormentil growing within the same area, you are probably looking at a heath spotted-orchid. (or a hybrid species that has some heath-spotted orchid in it).

The orchids in the photographs above are growing on peaty moorland.

(We have a page where the heath spotted-orchid and the Hebridean spotted-orchid identification notes are compared side by side).

Heath Spotted-orchid notes

	Dactylorhiza maculata subsp ericetorum
Pale Colour Orchids (Pinkish)	Pale pink, lilac, white almost mauve sometimes Flowerhead dense, pyramidal-shaped or oblong 5-20 florets Often in groups Slightly scented
Usual height in Western Isles	10cm to 25cm tall
	Generally found on acid peat moorland, damp pastures (sometimes on machair) - does not like it's feet wet Found up to 900m
	Bottom part of the flower broad Shallowly 3-lobed with a short triangular central indentation, called the "tooth" (sometimes extending outward a little) wavy-edged (frilly not toothed!) Markings purple or red dots and lines (not circles)
Leaves and stem	Stem slightly ridged 5 -12 Erect leaves narrow and pointed, spaced along the stem lightly marked with spots, circles Sometimes no spots Lower leaf
Modified leaves behind the floral envelopes	Narrow and pointed Lower shorter than and the upper ones longer than the flowers
Spur on the back of the florets	All the Spotted-orchid family - Straight, slim, parallel sided Pointing downward - about three-quarters the length of the ovary (ovary attaches floret to plant)
Crosses	Heath spotted-orchid x Hebridean spotted-orchid (Frequently) D. x transiens x Northern Marsh-orchid (Rarely) D. x venusta x Early Marsh-orchid (Rarely) D. x kerniorum

Heath-spotted Orchid is a native plant of the Western Isles.

All orchids are protected by law.

Photography © Suzanne Harris
Uig and Great Bernera - Outer Hebrides (Western Isles)
17 - 23 June, 2007