Orchid oddities.

[Allan.W.]

Thought some may be interested in a couple of "Orchid Oddities " that I came across on our short break ,down in Sussex .
I have a bit of a "thing" about Common Spotted Orchid varieties ,and spend a lot of time photographing them , this season I ,ve found many pure White (Alba ) Common Spots ,and a first for me a self pink ,with no markings at all on lip or sepals ,just plain pink ……………..Very unusual .
but amongst the hundreds on display at the wonderful Fairmile Bottom NNR, in West Sussex ,I came across this very unusual double flowered
individual ,something I,ve never seen before .
The other Orchid is a Frog Orchid ,and I thought this one in particular, really lived up to its name !
Regards Allan.W.

[MikeOxon]

Thought some may be interested in a couple of "Orchid Oddities " ...........

These are of interest to me. Although many books state that "there is no obvious resemblance to a frog", your photo demonstrates the fact very well I shall amend some of my comments on this species on my website.

Mike

[Allan.W.]

Glad you found them of interest Mike ,I,ve often thought the same myself ie; Doesn,t look much like a Frog .
But on this particular shot the 2nd to top left flower in particular ,from a sideways view does look very like a Frogs head (with its eyes closed !)
Regards Allan.W. PS; Have you ever seen a Common Spot like the one pictured ?

[MikeOxon]

..........Have you ever seen a Common Spot like the one pictured ?

I don't recall having seen one with a gap between upper and lower flowers on the spike. I've been looking through my Frog Orchid photos and have some that I took at Bald Hill in the Chilterns which show the 'frog profile, like yours. I shall amend my website and add new photos to illustrate this feature.

[Sylvie_h]

Hi Allan,

Nice one ! You have found a very strange specimen of the Spotted orchid and I have never heard, seen or read of such an anomaly before.
Well done also for finding the Frog orchid, it is a master of camouflage and very hard to find just like the frogs (you don't see them until they jump out of the way....) I am not sure if the vernacular name of this orchid is related to its resemblance with a frog or to its camouflage... To me the flower looks like a tree frog when it rests quietly on a leaf with its legs curled up underneath its body.
Sylvie

[Allan.W.]

Thanks Sylvie ! over the years I,ve looked at hundreds and hundreds of Common Spots and I,ve certainly never seen another like it ……….………….very unusual .
Having found out through Neil (Hulme ) that Frogs were present at Fairmile Bottom (What a site !!) I thought I,d have a go at finding them ,remembering ,the habitat from years back when I saw two in Kent (on the downs Behind Dover FC. ) now presumably extinct ,after about 2 hours searching ,I finally stumbled across a singleton ,standing still on the spot ,I scanned around and managed to find another 3 ,I re-traced my footsteps (frightened of stepping on them ! )I found a couple more ,8 in all ,having taken a few shots ,I let them be ,really pleased and one of my target plants for 2019 ! I was given a grid ref for another good plant yesterday evening ………… Corn Buttercup . and was lucky enough to find that as well ! Regards Allan.W.