PLANT: Anacamptis morio (Green-winged Orchid): variable flower colour at a Lancashire site

May 1, 2007:
Anacamptis (or Orchis if preferred) morio is commonly known as the Green-winged Orchid. It is a plant of unimproved, species-rich, grazed calcareous grassland and flowers in early May. It is a scarce plant in north-west England much of its habitat having been gradually destroyed through modern agricultural practices. However, some sites are specially reserved for it and for other similarly-scarce plants. This site is one of them and is of interest in that the orchid is often present here in a range of colour forms. In a good year, several hundred plants may be found in flower.