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Orchis mascula - Early-purple Orchid Britain's most widespread Orchid, occurring as far North as the Hebrides. |
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As its name suggests the Early Purple Orchid is Britain's earliest flowering Orchid. In April and May the attractive pink-purple flowering spikes can be found scattered in profusion across open woodland, in rough grassland and on cliff ledges. When many people think of orchids they imagine the exotically beautiful flowers of tropical orchids cascading down from the branches of a rainforest tree. The Orchids are one of the largest and most diverse families of flowering plants and, although most do occur in the tropics, Orchids can be found on every continent other than Antarctica. The Early Purple Orchid occurs throughout Europe from as far South as the Mediterranean and North into Scandinavia. British Orchids are all terrestrial (ground growing), sometimes small and hard to spot, but also include some of our most beautiful and spectacular wild flowers. |
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Photo - D. Heward |
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