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.

 

Hebridean Spotted-orchid

Dactylorhiza fuchii subsp. hebridensis

Gaelic name: Urach-bhallach

	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 orchid in the photograph above is growing on sandy machair soil.

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

Hebridean Spotted-orchid notes

	Dactylorhiza fuchii subsp. hebridensis
Pale Colour Orchids (Pinkish)	Pale pink, lilac, sometimes white or dark reddish-purple tinged Flowerhead dense, pyramidal-shaped or oblong   Often in groups
Usual height in Western Isles	10cm to 25cm tall
	Only on dunes, machair and damp meadows (usually near the sea)
	Bottom part of the flower deeply 3-lobed with angular shaped lobes and with the central lobe considerably longer than the other two
Leaves and stem	7 -12 leaves spreading to downcurved Rounded to elliptical, spaced along the stem Dark-spotted Upper leaves smaller, almost not a proper leaf Lower leaf
Modified leaves behind the floral envelopes
Spur on the back of the florets	All the Spotted-orchid family - Straight, slim, parallel sided
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.

Photographs © Suzanne Harris
Great Bernera - Outer Hebrides (Western Isles)
23rd May, 2006