Maes y Pant, 1st August 2021 (SJ 35397 55187)

When we were here just over a month ago there were some Helleborines just throwing up spikes and I mused over the species. I was correct in going for Dune Helleborines but these are largely gone over. Arrived too late yet again. Now that they are in full leaf there are more than I first expected.

We continue around the site, detouring to Marford Quarry (see below) en route. I decide to take a different path back to the car and going up a slope we find a clump of Common Spotted Orchids which would have looked great a week ago, and some good Broad-leaved Helleborines too. so there are some here! Most of Maes y Pant is planted coniferous woodland, all in nice straight lines, but as we approach the entrance we come to a spot, across the path from the Dune Helleborines from earlier, that is mixed broadleaf woods and bushes - and here we find more of the Helleborines and some Green-flowered Helleborines as well. All three species growing almost side-by-side. One’s mind automatically jumps to the possibility of hybrids. Close-ups may help here.

Broad-leaved Helleborine appearance with a rather pale flower. The ovary is hairless and pedicle stem is purplish, but untwisted. The stem is downy, with leaves arranged opposite.         Another pale flowered plant, but with all the characteristics of a Broad-leaved Helleborine.             Triplets of what seems to be Dune Helleborines, but note the sprial leaf arrangement and hairless ovaries. They do appear to be autgomous. I am tempted to label this as the un-named E. dunensis x E. helleborine hybrid, with the former as the more phenotypicaly dominant maternal parent.       Essentially a Green-flowered Helleborine. However there is a dash of pigmentation at the base of the pedicle - not enough to warrant any other thoughts, but the flowers are more open than other examples.         Another triplet, this time with variegated leaves. The one forward facing flower looks Dune Helleborine. but there is a definite twist to the pedicle stalk and the ovaries are hairless. Perhaps another E. dunensis x E. helleborine hybrid.         No leaf photos for this one - an apparent Green-flowered Helleborine, but with a downy stem and that flower does seem to have prominent lip bosses. Looks to be autogamous. Perhaps a E. phyllanthes x E. Helleborine hybrid with the former as the maternal parent.

I cannot make any definite claims on these yet; I would prefer to return next year just a bit earlier to catch these at their best. Need to look for presence or absence of viscidia, and these visits have been just a tad late for these plants.

It is tempting to claim that it was the quarrying responsible for the colonisation of this site by orchids. However, to a large extent they are mainly growing in what would have been an untouched part of the site - pre-existing broad leaved and mixed woodland. Only now are some plants invading the larger areas where pines have been planted.

Marford Quarry, 1st August 2021 (SJ 35537 55949) 

A diversionary walk from the above site to take in the Green-flowered Helleborines here. It would be nice to see the flowers properly open one year, to appreciate them fully. They look good, and doing well. I did thing about having a look in the woodland beyond the railway, between that and the lane linking Marford and Gresford, but it came to nought. Perhaps another year.

Alyn Waters Country Park, 2nd August 2021

We aree on the Gwersyllt side, behind the visitor centre (now miraculously re-opened) where the Dune Helleborines put on a good show. Here there are a couple of large Broad-leaved Helleborines that have escaped notice before - very strange, because they are rather obvious.

The plants that looked unusual (to me at least) over the last couple of years seem to have been swamped in brambles due to covid preventing any maintenance (why?), but further on in a sort of clearing both the Helleborine types are growing together in decent numbers. I have been coming to Alyn Waters for years without seeing any Broad-leaved Helleborines, but now and here they are obvious. The BLH are quite varied in their flower colours, from deep purple through to quite pallid examples. One has the lip uncurled back making it look like a goatee beard.

There is one plant that catches my eye however. It is BLH-like, but with noticably smaller flowers. We measure one of these and from tip to tip of the lower sepals it is 11mm. On two of the regular BLH it is 14mm. 3mm may not sound much, but this makes the flowers approximately 25% smaller. Some evidence of crumbly pollinia and hairy ovary make me think that here is another E. dunensis x E. helleborine hybrid, with the latter as the more phenotypicaly dominant maternal parent this time.

Delamere Forest 4th August 2021 (SJ5538671345) 

Last time here there were a few Broad-leaved Helleborines near the north east corner of the mere, but only one is on show this year. also last time we had more success with the Dune Helleborines on the forest side of the path, but this year there are 30+ on the lake side, and they are spreading along it further than previously. Is this due to strimming times or due to ground water levels. Both probably. It is a bit late for the dunes but some are still in flower.

Minera Quarry 5th August 2021 

Here again, looking at the Broad-leaved Helleborines - they are great - using checking out the possibility of a Dune Helleborine as an excuse - it isn’t. While investigating we stumble across a pair of the early-flowering Frog Orchids in a new area. Both are setting seed and of a decent size. Will be back in the Spring I think.