Three Species of Wild Orchid

Bee Orchid (Ophrys apifera)

Colour photograph of the Bee Orchid (Ophrys apifera) wild flower found on the grassland dunes of Bull Island, Dublin. This spectacular orchid resembling a bee is quite difficult to locate on the dry grassy dune edges it favours, yet can often be only inches from a well-trodden path. The bee orchid has a basal rosette of several unstalked grey-green oval leaves and an erect stalk from 15-50 cm high carrying from 2-7 flowers. The bud is light and prominately green-veined, opening with three crisp pink sepals framing the flower. Each flower has two small side petals, spear-shaped, and the large incredible bee-mimic lower lip. This is velvety brown and patterned with yellow markings to resemble a bee and attract a pollinator, although the flower has the ability to self-pollinate. Seed is prolific, fine and dustlike, but can take up to eight years to produce a flowering stem. Flowers: June-July

By kind permission of Dorothy Forde

Bee Orchid (Ophrys apifera)
By kind permission of Dorothy Forde

Bee Orchid (Ophrys apifera)

Colour photograph of the Bee Orchid (Ophrys apifera) wild flower found on the grassland dunes of Bull Island, Dublin. This spectacular orchid resembling a bee is quite difficult to locate on the dry grassy dune edges it favours, yet can often be only inches from a well-trodden path. The bee orchid has a basal rosette of several unstalked grey-green oval leaves and an erect stalk from 15-50 cm high carrying from 2-7 flowers. The bud is light and prominately green-veined, opening with three crisp pink sepals framing the flower. Each flower has two small side petals, spear-shaped, and the large incredible bee-mimic lower lip. This is velvety brown and patterned with yellow markings to resemble a bee and attract a pollinator, although the flower has the ability to self-pollinate. Seed is prolific, fine and dustlike, but can take up to eight years to produce a flowering stem. Flowers: June-July

By kind permission of Dorothy Forde

Enlarge image

BEE ORCHID (Ophrys apifera)

This spectacular orchid resembling a bee is quite difficult to locate on the dry grassy dune edges it favours, yet can often be only inches from a well-trodden path.

The bee orchid has a basal rosette of several unstalked grey-green oval leaves and an erect stalk from 15-50 cm high carrying from 2-7 flowers. The bud is light and prominently green-veined, opening with three crisp pink sepals framing the flower.

Each flower has two small side petals, spear-shaped, and the large incredible bee-mimic lower lip. This is velvety brown and patterned with yellow markings to resemble a bee and attract a pollinator, although the flower has the ability to self-pollinate. Seed is prolific, fine and dust like, but can take up to eight years to produce a flowering stem.

Flowers: June-July

Pyramidal Orchid (Anacamptis pyramidalis)

Colour photograph of the Pyramidal Orchid (Anacamptis pyramidalis) wild flower found on the grassland dunes of Bull Island, Dublin. The pyramidal orchid of the dune grasslands is easily recognized by its dense pyramid spike of flowers in pink tones to deep crimson. Like all orchids, each flower has three sepals and three petals. The two lateral or side sepals are spreading, while the top sepal and upper petals form a tight hood. The lower petal has three broad blunt lobes and there is a long pointed spur. The stem is slender and erect to about 30-45 cm. Unstalked leaves clasp the stem, getting shorter and narrower as they go higher up. The seed capsule splits open to release numerous dust-fine seeds, but it can take up to seven years for the seed to form a flowering stem after germination. Flowers: June-July

By kind permission of Dorothy Forde

Pyramidal Orchid (Anacamptis pyramidalis)
By kind permission of Dorothy Forde

Pyramidal Orchid (Anacamptis pyramidalis)

Colour photograph of the Pyramidal Orchid (Anacamptis pyramidalis) wild flower found on the grassland dunes of Bull Island, Dublin. The pyramidal orchid of the dune grasslands is easily recognized by its dense pyramid spike of flowers in pink tones to deep crimson. Like all orchids, each flower has three sepals and three petals. The two lateral or side sepals are spreading, while the top sepal and upper petals form a tight hood. The lower petal has three broad blunt lobes and there is a long pointed spur. The stem is slender and erect to about 30-45 cm. Unstalked leaves clasp the stem, getting shorter and narrower as they go higher up. The seed capsule splits open to release numerous dust-fine seeds, but it can take up to seven years for the seed to form a flowering stem after germination. Flowers: June-July

By kind permission of Dorothy Forde

Enlarge image

PYRAMIDAL ORCHID (Anacamptis pyramidalis)

The pyramidal orchid of the dune grasslands is easily recognized by its dense pyramid spike of flowers in pink tones to deep crimson. Like all orchids, each flower has three sepals and three petals. The two lateral or side sepals are spreading, while the top sepal and upper petals form a tight hood. The lower petal has three broad blunt lobes and there is a long pointed spur.

The stem is slender and erect to about 30-45 cm. Unstalked leaves clasp the stem, getting shorter and narrower as they go higher up. The seed capsule splits open to release numerous dust-fine seeds, but it can take up to seven years for the seed to form a flowering stem after germination.

Flowers: June-July

Common Spotted-Orchid (Dactylorhiza fuchsii)

Colour photograph of the Common Spotted-Orchid (Dactylorhiza fuchsii) wild flower found on the grassland dunes of Bull Island, Dublin.

By kind permission of Dorothy Forde

Common Spotted-Orchid (Dactylorhiza fuchsii)
By kind permission of Dorothy Forde

Common Spotted-Orchid (Dactylorhiza fuchsii)

Colour photograph of the Common Spotted-Orchid (Dactylorhiza fuchsii) wild flower found on the grassland dunes of Bull Island, Dublin.

By kind permission of Dorothy Forde

Enlarge image

COMMON SPOTTED-ORCHID (Dactylorhiza fuchsii)

The tall 20-60 cm spike of the common spotted-orchid can be easily seen all across the dune grasslands, either singly or in clumps. The stem is solid and erect with heavily spotted narrow pointed and keeled upper leaves. The bottom leaf at the base of the stem is distinctively shorter, broader and blunt-tipped.

The lilac flowers are in a dense cylindrical spike with striking double loop markings and lines and dots of a deeper mauve on the labellum. The side sepals are outspread framing a hood formed by the upper sepal and petals. The labellum is 3-lobed, with the central lobe triangular and slightly longer than the rhomboidal side lobes. There is a slender straight spur.

Flowers: June-August