Chamorchis alpina False Musk Orchid
Our expert guides located this orchid and then, on being asked: "But where is it?"
said "It's right in front of you".
Kneeling down I peered into the alpine vegetation and I couldn't see any orchids. The reason? It's about one inch tall and all green blending nicely with everything around it. You could be given a very exact location for this plant and still not find it.
Preferring basic soils, Chamorchis alpina is a subarctic and subalpine plant found in the Alps, Carpathians and in Scandinavia. It appears on the I.U.C.N. list of threatened species but can be locally frequent. It is usually found at heights of 6,500 to about 8,000 feet but only by people with very sharp eyesight who have usually seen it before.
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| Chamorchis alpina False Musk Orchid |
Hilly land near Valparola pass, Dolomites, Italy 2nd July 2014
Added on 5th July 2014