Still finding atrorubens specials and a bonus Phyllanthes

Specimen 70 (a very tasty Schmal) see more photos below (Click over to enlarge)

Wow its been a very busy and fabulous weekend with parties from Grange and Wilmslow on the Saturday, and on the Sunday a couple of gentlemen (Jon and Peter) who had travelled all the way down from both the Shetland Isle and Aviemore to witness our local orchid delights!

Its always great to meet up with people and share information with all who have interest in Orchids and especially with the grand array of Epipactis variety we have on Hutton Roof. Most Orchid lovers whom I meet are instantly taken back especially with the "Lemon Petalled (Green or Purple) varieties of atrorubens.

Specimen 70 shown above is just another special which is striking with its lovely placed bell sweeping red flowers contrasting so much against its helliborine influenced light green stem and leaves. It is more than likely that the above plant is a member of the Schmalhauseneii hybrid family. The area around this plant also shows much variety and the plant is surrounded also by several of the main probable parentage being the Broad Leaved Helliborine (Epipactis helliborine).  

Here below are a couple more photos showing the flowers in more close up.

More close up views of Specimen 70 (Click over to enlarge)

Close to this specimen (No.70) is what I already have presumed to be another although different "family" connection tie up with several similar looking plants scattered about the local area. We have this example below showing it's bowed head, and the specimen looks so interesting and its another one which at first glance gives you the initial helliborine suggestion, although on closer examination you see all the atrorubens features as well. In fact this plant is anything other than straight forward as you can see!

Specimen 65 (Click over to enlarge)

Now below I am showing just a leaf, but I guess it shows a lack of pigmentation in part.  It certainly is a example that I have never seen before up until today here on Hutton Roof. The specimen was in thick cover to the rear of Specimen Schmalhauseneii No. 15 quite close to several mature in size although with heads still bowing Broad Leaved Helliborines (Epipactis helliborine).  In a few weeks time I will be collecting a leaf from these good strong helliborines to be sent off for analysis of their DNA which I do expect the result to show a clear family relationship around this area and hopefully to find out if their could be parentage from these plants in connection to Specimen Schmal 15.

           A helliborine leaf specimen showing a lack of pigmentation in part.  (Click over to enlarge)

Of special interest also today was the finding by Jon Dunn of yet another fabulous (although very small and fragile) Green Flowered Orchid (Epipactis phyllanthes) which was hiding within the edge of a hazel tree and placed low down within a shallow gryke.  You can see from the photo it does have buds and hopefully it will eventually flower along with our other nearby specimen.

Green Flowered Orchid -(Epipactis phyllanthes) (Click over to enlarge)

Although perhaps not a strong specimen, it leaves you wondering how on earth did that get up here and it seems happy to be at 800ft above sea level which is I guess quite extroadinary for this species in these parts!