Not so much a blog of the tour more a gallery of the week spent in the Vercors Natural Park based at La Chapelle en Vercors. I deliberately didn't take any field notes so rather than by location they are presented chronologically - hence the repeats. I will mention one location - Font d'Durle where the slopes were covered in a huge array of botany. So my trip was a series of rambles photographing whatever took my fancy.
Early Purple Orchid, Orchis mascula - very fresh at an altitude of about 1500m or 4.921 feet in old money.
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| Early Purple Orchid, Orchis mascula |
There were literally thousands of Elderflower Orchids, Dactylorhiza sambucina in both colour forms, the yellows outnumbering the purples by a long chalk - as usual.
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| Elderflower Orchid, Dactylorhiza sambucina |
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| Elderflower Orchid, Dactylorhiza sambucina |
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| Elderflower Orchid, Dactylorhiza sambucina |
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| Elderflower Orchid, Dactylorhiza sambucina |
The obligatory shot of both forms alongside each other.
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| Elderflower Orchid, Dactylorhiza sambucina |
Plenty of Bird's Nest Orchids, Neottia nidus-avis though none in full bloom
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| Bird's Nest Orchid, Neottia nidus-avis |
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Burnt Orchid, Neotinea ustulata
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Sharp eyed Lindsay spotted these magnificent Lady Orchids, Orchis purpurea
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| Lady Orchids, Orchis purpurea |
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| Lady Orchids, Orchis purpurea |
This orchid was the focus of much discussion, just two stems found growing amongst Dactylorhiza majalis, the Broad-leaved Marsh Orchid. Subsequently it was found to be Early Marsh Orchid, Dactylorhiza incarnata. I have to say I have never seen one like this before, for what I would expect to see try here
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| Early Marsh Orchid, Dactylorhiza incarnata. |
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| Broad-leaved Marsh Orchid, Dactylorhiza majalis |
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| Broad-leaved Marsh Orchid, Dactylorhiza majalis |
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| Broad-leaved Marsh Orchid, Dactylorhiza majalis |
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Broad-leaved Marsh Orchid, Dactylorhiza majalis
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I'm glad that I photographed this rather spindly specimen of Orchis pallens as others we found subsequently were toast in the ever increasing temperatures.
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| Orchis pallens |
Roadside banks were populated by numerous Sword-leaved Helleborine, Cephalanthera longifolia. Some impressive spikes were seen.
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| Sword-leaved Helleborine, Cephalanthera longifolia |
A new one for me - Orchis tridentata
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| Orchis tridentata |
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| Orchis tridentata |
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| Monkey Orchid, Orchis simia |
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| Monkey Orchid, Orchis simia |
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| Military Orchid, Orchis militaris |
Something familiar
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| Man Orchid, Orchid anthropophora |
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| Man Orchid, Orchid anthropophora |
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| Late Spider Orchid, Ophrys fuciflora |
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| Late Spider Orchid, Ophrys fuciflora |
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Green- winged Orchid, Anacamptis morio
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| Fly Orchid, Ophrys insectifera |
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| Fly Orchid, Ophrys insectifera |
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| Ophrys drumana |
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| Ophrys drumana |
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| Ophrys drumana |
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| Ophrys drumana |
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| Ophrys drumana |
The Violet Limodore or Violet Bird's-nest Orchid, Limodorum abortivum. One that I missed on Rhodes as the goats had devoured them. Nice to make its acquaintance here.
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| Violet Limodore, Limodorum abortivum |
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Violet Limodore, Limodorum abortivum
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Violet Limodore, Limodorum abortivum
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Violet Limodore, Limodorum abortivum
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| Probably Neotinea tridentata x Neotinea ustulata |
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Another showing characteristics of both species to a lesser degree.
May be a back cross |
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| Neotinea ustulata |
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| Alpine Broad-leaved Marsh Orchid, Dactylorhiza alpestris |
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| Alpine Broad-leaved Marsh Orchid, Dactylorhiza alpestris |
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| A lonely little Dactylorhiza in a Globularia patch |
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| Fly Orchid, Ophrys insectifera f. luteomarginata?? |
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| Fly Orchid, Ophrys insectifera |
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| Monkey Orchid, Orchis simia |
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| Orchis mascula ssp speciosa (aka O. ovalis) |
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| Another marsh orchid?? Not sure of this one |
Top of the bucket list
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| Lady's Slipper Orchid, Cypripedium calceolus |
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| Lady's Slipper Orchid, Cypripedium calceolus |
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Lady's Slipper Orchid, Cypripedium calceolus
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This one was second on the target list - really please to record it.
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| Orchis spitzelii |
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| Orchis spitzelii |
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| Orchis spitzelii |
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| Orchis spitzelii |
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| Gymnadenia densiflora |
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| Late Spider Orchid, Ophrys fuciflora |
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| Late Spider Orchid, Ophrys fuciflora |
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| Bee Orchid, Ophrys apifera |
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| Common Twayblade, Neottia ovata |
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| Late Spider Orchid, Ophrys fuciflora |
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| Monkey Orchid, Orchis simia |
And finally the Pyramidal Orchid, Anacamptis pyramidalis
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| Pyramidal Orchid, Anacamptis pyramidalis |
