Photos: Co.Cork and Co.Limerick |
Western Marsh-orchid endemic to Ireland. Flowering time: May-July. Tuberous perennial. Native. Deep red-purple to pinkish-purple flowers in dense flower spike. Spreading side sepals, broad 3-lobed lip with narrow, pointed mid-lobe, Lip strongly marked with crimson dots and streaks. Broad, spreading leaves with purple blotches/spots, but in parts of Ireland the leaves are unmarked. Robust, stocky growth habit. Variable. Damp calcareous grassland, fens, roadsides, marshes, dune slacks. Scattered distribution, mainly S, W, NW Ireland. |
WEstern Marsh Orchid. Co.Cork June 2007 and Co.Limerick May 2008