A Gloucestershire soujourn

Last time we were here in 2019 it was for the helleborines mainly, and it had been preceded by very hot dry weather. Much of the vegetation was frazzled. The weather for this week looks sunny, but recent rain suggests we should have more success.

Minchinhampton Common 14th July 2022 (SO 85705 01263) 

A large area to explore, but it is early and this is the first stop of the day. We park up at the GR above and explore the surrounding grassland. All the usual suspects are here; Common Spotted, Common Twayblade, Bee, and Pyramidal Orchids. A careful examination also reveals some Early Purple Orchids setting seed. There is also a pure white Pyramidal Orchid.

Now we come to the a bit of unexpected. I am expecting Chalk Fragrant Orchids and there they are. Typically with lip as wide as it is broad, a rather lax flowered spike, and sepals drooping. But, down in a depression there are some stand out spikes, which correspond more to Marsh Fragrant Orchids. The lip is broad, the spike densely flowered and the sepals are held horizontal. Perhaps the dip means the surface soil is just sufficiently damp enough for these. Looking back at photos taken and there are a couple of plants not clear cut, but I hesitate before I claim these as hybrids of the two species. The differences are quite probably within species variation.

 
Two photos of the Chalk Fragrants, and one of the much larger Marsh Fragrants

Finally we come to the big reason why we are here, and it is the two Bicoloured Bee Orchids - and one of those is a tad damaged. Plenty of squished grass around these two plants. Very pleased as this is a new one for me.

Rodborough Common 14th June 2022 (SO 84865 03849) 

Superficially similar to Minchinhampton Common, but fewer orchids and fewer species. The are Common Spotted, Common Twayblades, Pyramidal, and Chalk Fragrant Orchids, the latter often covering wide areas. The only orchids of note seen are the pure white Gymnodenia conopsea Var. alba which crop up here and there. These can have fans in the invertebrate world.

Selsley Common 14th June 2022 (SO 82974 02728) 

Another Gloucesteshire common just outside Stroud. We park up at the GR and head virtually north-west and start studying the long steep down facing bank. there is the usual contingent of orchids here, but we are only interested in one type. Eventually, after much walking up and down, and across and back, we find what we are looking for. There are 5 Fly x Bee Orchid hybrids (Ophrys x pietschii) all growing in close proximity. What is noticeable is that there are two quite different appearances between them. Two are tall, slender and majestic plants; the flowers seem slightly larger and the sepals are Bee orchid pink. The lip is more bulbous. The other three plants are just a bit up the slope, and are not as impressive. the sepals are more of a brownish grey in colour.

Did these two have different parents or is it just within the variation one would expect from a single pollination event? I have considered that the pink sepalled ones might have the Bee Orchid as maternal parent and the others had the Fly orchid in that role. However, having two separate hybridisations and the seed from both landing only in one small area is a bit far-fetched. Even more so when you consider how unlikely a hybridisation is. The Bee Orchids usually self-pollinate within a day of the flower opening. while Fly orchids rely on the male of one species of solitary wasp. The two species are also on slightly different branches of the Ophrys family tree. The Fly Orchid line is estimated to have branched off 5 million years ago, and the Bee Orchid 2.5 million years ago. Such a crossing would surely quite adventitious, ruling out two such events happening.
There was no sign of either parent plant today, even having a look in the old quarry, but Bee orchids were seen on our previous visit.

There are also more white Common Fragrant Orchids here too, but unlike at Rodborough the stems are darkish in colour and not bright green. Could there be two forms of Var. albiflora?

Swifts Hill 15th June 2022 (SO 87668 06699) 

I have heard mention of Swifts Hill over the years but never been - driven near a few times, but the list of orchids growing there does not seem to feature anything exciting. A search in the quarry and a brief look in the so-called Laurie Lee Woods next door provided nothing new. I had hoped to see a Birds-nest Orchid or White Helleborine or two. The visit was enlivened by large numbers of Marbled White and Small blue butterflies on the wing.

Clattinger Farm 15th June 2022 (SU 00726 93830) 

Firstly just let me say that if you love Common Spotted Orchids this is the place for you. Virtually every field here is awash with them. Anyway, we parked at Lower Moor Farm, just nabbing the final spot in the rather small carpark, and then set out to circumnavigate the big lakes around the top ... only to find that the final section of that path was closed to protect the wildlife. Why couldn’t they have indicated that on the site map signs?

I had a list of targets here, and after having to retrace our steps and go around the other direction the first lay in 11 Acres Field. Here are two groups of Burnt Orchids. Now previously I have seen these growing in short turf, on hill tops and slopes. At Clattinger they are in long grass and are perhaps consequently taller and more robust. One spike is rather smaller, lax and pale. Is this because it id just going over?

There are some Southern Marsh Orchids and inevitably D. x grandis growing in Ditch Field and Mrs Oddy`s Field, as well as Common Twayblades. In Front Field I had been informed that there were Green-winged Orchids, but these are in seed, and Early Marsh Orchids, which were nowhere to be seen.

The final surprise was in a final unnamed field. Here we see some Bee Orchids, but I am hoping for more. More understates my hopes, as in one small patch, just a few square metres were over 25 Wasp Orchids - O. apifera Var. trollii. I had only seen one before, so this is a real treat. While individual plants show a range of lip pattern variations, these patterns are consistent on each spike.

Cerney House and Gardens 16th June 2022 (SP 01737 07761) 

Just a little entry to note that Common Spotted Orchids are seen in the Pink Garden, presumably left unweeded out

Near Shipston on Stour 16th June 2022 

Cannot believe that it is 4 years since I was here to find a Wasp Orchid in the long grass beside the Fosse Way. Time flies. Anyway back here again, and the Wasp Orchid is still there, surprisingly; and looking a bit better than it did last time. Still a few flowers to open even.

Ettington 16th June 2022 (SP 26482 49309) 

This is supposed to be a good place to chance upon Bee Orchid varieties. We saw regular plants 4 years ago but no varieties, and a return visit in 2019 was abandoned due to the rain and the glue-like consistency of the mud underfoot. So hopefully third time lucky perhaps. Alas, no! At least it is dry and the ground solid. There are the Pyramidal and Common Spotted Orchids, and only a very few rather pedestrian Bee Orchids. Doubt that I will be back here unless I am in the area and have some very definite information about the Bee varieties.