Himantoglossum hircinum Lizard Orchid RRR DD N
Many years ago I was shown this plant for the first time by way of a short cut not available today. Guessing that it might be starting to flower, I tried to remember where on the Devil's Dyke this plant was growing and headed for that part. The place was teeming with botanists and lepidopterists all with cameras and so it wasn't long before we met people who had already seen The Lizard Orchid and so we were able to find several plants just beginning to flower. Altogether there were about twelve spikes with some flowers on and a few in bud.
The Devil's Dyke is a huge ditch and dyke built in the 6th or 7th century to keep the Saxons safe from the Britons. It remains a significant landmark and is a long chalky triangular hill with a footpath along the top.
H. hircinum was only known from Kent at first and is thought to have spread northwards but it is a scattered species found mostly in southern and eastern England with none in Wales, Scotland or Ireland.
|
|
| Himantoglossum hircinum Flower Spike | Himantoglossum hircinum Floret |
Devil's Dyke Cambridgeshire 15th June 2008
Added on 15th June 2008, updated 8th April 2009, updated 7th April 2010