Welcome!

This is the Home Page of the UK Hardy Orchid Society!

This site is designed to be viewed with a screen resolution of 1024 x 768

Are you fascinated by wild orchids?

Would you like to grow orchids from seed?

Do you enjoy looking for flowers?

Are you a keen photographer?

   If you answered 'YES' to any of these questions, you will find plenty of like-minded people in the Hardy Orchid Society!

If you are new to orchids, there is a New to Orchids Page which includes common names and annotated diagrams of the parts of orchids.

HOS activities for members include the following:

• Two or three indoor meetings a year - Exeter Hall (near Oxford), Harlow Carr (Harrogate) and Wisley.

• A journal issued quarterly which includes articles and colour photographs which should be of interest to experts and beginners.

• Visits to orchid sites in the UK.

• Sale of orchid plants, seeds and fungi.

• Plant Shows and exhibitions.

• Conservation of wild orchids.

• Locally arranged meetings

• Emergency conservation work.

• Photographic competitions for prints, slides and computer pictures.

If you have any suggestions for future additions to this website, or if you would like to comment on what is here at present, please send an email to Bill Temple.

What's New for March 2008

• New membership application form

• New standing order form

• Clarification of information on how to join HOS.

What's New for May/June 2008

• A man from N England has been caught digging Orchis militaris from the site in Bucks. Can I remind members to be careful who they give information to and avoid putting sensitive site information on the internet.

• Seed list updated

• 2008 AGM Reports added

• New Committee listed

HOS Activities

The Hardy Orchid Society meets two or three times a year for an all-day get-together. These meetings feature talks, slide shows, PowerPoint presentations and discussions on a variety of subjects relating to hardy orchids from near and far. Topics covered include orchid holidays at home and abroad, cultivation methods, features on particular families, species or hybrids, propagation from seed, etc. 

A Plant Show is held at the Spring Meeting, and at the Autumn Meeting the photographers can compete with slides and prints. There is always a non-competitive exhibition area for anything orchid-related, together with commercial and members' sales tables for plants and other odds and ends. A meeting is held at Harlow Carr, mainly for the benefit of our more northerly members.

Outdoor meetings appear in the HOS Summer Programme. Most years, several day trips are arranged around the UK, where volunteers offer to show HOS members around their local sites of orchid interest.

Conservation work is a high priority, with a number of major projects undertaken so far. The first was for HOS members to grow a number of native orchid species from seed and then plant the tubers on a well-protected hillside in Dudley Zoo - results were very encouraging. 

The second was an emergency rescue operation, where many White helleborines, threatened by building development, were transferred to the comparative safety of other local sites that were not under threat. This seems to be an ongoing problem as other species have been moved from nearby locations in 2002, 2003 and 2004. 

The third was in collaboration with the Sainsbury Orchid Project at Kew, in which several HOS members were 'growing on' Cypripedium calceolus seedlings, the majority of which were destined for re-introduction to northern locations where they once flourished. 

Recently a number of projects involving the raising of orchids from seed have been undertaken with various National and International bodies. Further details of these projects are in the conservation section.

HOS members have also grown Dactylorhiza fuchsii from seed and planted tubers at a site in Oxfordshire. This subsequently became a threatened site so the orchids have been moved a few hundred metres away. The Conservation Officer has also advised a Director of Thomas Merrifield and the Deputy Director of the Nation Radiological Protection Board on how to care for the orchids (Ophrys apifera & Cephalanthera damasonium) which are growing on land that they control.

The Conservation Officer is always interested in having volunteers available and runs a special, exclusive, field trip for volunteers who have undertaken projects during the previous year.

The main activities of the Hardy Orchid Society are centred on sharing the pleasures and knowledge of hardy orchids as widely as possible.

Events List 2008

N.B. These events are for members of the society and their guests, and are not open to the public.

Future dates

N.B. These events are for members of the society and their guests, and are not open to the public.

Photographic Competition 2007

The HOS Photographic Competition 2007 was held on 28th October during the Autumn Meeting at RHS Wisley. As usual, classes were included for prints up to 5" x 7", prints up to A4 size and slides.  - Those wishing to enter the 2007 Photographic Competition should see Rules and Classes and Entry form. The prints could be either photographic or computer processed digital pictures.

Those wishing to enter the 2008 Photographic Competition should refer to the two links in the paragraph above in order to enter.

Below are the First Prize winning pictures from the 2007 Show - to see a larger version of the picture just click your mouse on the individual 'thumbnail'. 

Due to the limits of screen resolution and file size, the images that you will see cannot do full justice to the clarity, colour depth and brilliance of the original pictures.

All pictures have been provided by HOS members, who retain the copyright to their pictures.

None of the pictures may be reproduced without the owner's permission.

Click on the following links to see the first prize winning photographs for the Photographic Competitions in 2006,  2005, 2004, 2003,  2002,  2001,  2000 and  1999  

HOS Plant Show

The following link will take you to details of the Rules and Classes. Please note that in the multi-pot classes not all the pots may have been shown.

Entry form for the Plant Show.

HOS Annual Plant Show 2008

Here are photographs of the first prize winning plants from the HOS Annual Plant Show 2008, which was held during the Spring Meeting at Kidlington.

Thanks are due to Mike Gasson for finding time to point his digital camera at the winning plants shown below.

All pictures have been provided by HOS members, who retain the copyright to their pictures.

None of the pictures may be reproduced without the photographer's permission.

Class 2:   3 Pots, native European (non native to Britain) orchids, distinct varieties                                                          Serapias godfreryi        Anacamptis papilonacea      Serapicamptis triloba                            Richard Manuel
Class 3:   3 Pots, non-European, distinct varieties                                                           Pleione chunii                    Pleione yunnanensis    Pleione grandiflora (colour form cross)     Kath & Peter Fairhurst
Class 4:   3 pots hardy orchids, any country of origin, distinct varieties                                                         Anacamptis morio                     Pterostylis curta               Serapias olbia x cordigera     Michael Powell
Class 7:   Non-European hardy orchid One pot               Disa 'Unilangley'     Ron Bowler	Class 9:   Orchis, Anacamptis or Neotinea One pot     Anacamptis papilionacea     Richard Manuel	Class 10:   Ophrys One pot     Ophrys garganica     Deborah Parsons & Ian Gill
Class 11:   Serapias  One pot     Serapias olbia x neglecta   Michael Powell	Class 12:    Cypripedium  One pot     Cypripedium formosanum   Michael Powell	Class 14:   Pleione One pot     Pleione Berapi 'Purple Sandpiper'   Maren Talbot
Class 15:   Beginners' Class One pot any hardy orchid     Anacamptis morio x longicornu   Deborah Parsons & Ian Gill		BEST IN SHOW:           Anacamptis papilionacea   Richard Manuel

Click on the following links to see photographs of the class winning from the Plant Shows in  2007, 2006,  2005, 2004, 2003,  2002,  2001 and  2000  

Photographs of British Orchids

Follow the links below to see the orchid of your choice or browse thumbnails of the photographs in the HOS Gallery. To return to this index, it is best to use the 'BACK' button on your browser menu bar, or select 'Photographs' from the contents table on the left.

Thanks to the generosity of many members, we are now displaying photographs of the majority of species of British Orchids, plus several sub-species and varieties. However, if YOU have a good photograph of a British species or variety that is not included here, or maybe a better picture of something already included, please get in touch with Bill Temple.

*** = added Jan 08;  ** = added Aug 2006; * = added Sept 2005

Latin names shown in brackets correspond to the names in use prior to the publication, by Professor Richard Bateman and colleagues, of a phylogeny based on DNA sequences, rather than morphological features; see HOS Newsletter October 1998, April 2001 and July 2001.

Please click on the "Back" button of your browser to return.

All pictures have been provided by HOS members, who retain the copyright to their pictures.

None of the pictures may be reproduced without the owner's permission.

BROWSE THUMBNAILS      Species A to G  (may be slow to load)

BROWSE THUMBNAILS       Species H to S  (may be slow to load)

BROWSE THUMBNAILS      Hybrids  (may be slow to load)

BROWSE THUMBNAILS      Pollination  (may be slow to load)

Aceras anthropophorum - see Orchis anthropophora

Anacamptis (Orchis) laxiflora  (Lax flowered or 'Jersey' Orchid): Whole plant (Barry Tattersall); Flower spike (Barry Tattersall); Close-up (Tony Hughes)

Anacamptis morio (Orchis morio) (Green-winged or Green-veined Orchid): Location (Tony Hughes); Close-up (Neville Roberts); var. alba (Bill Temple)

Anacamptis pyramidalis (Pyramidal Orchid): Location (Tony Hughes); Whole plant (Stan Jordan); Flower spike (Bill Temple); var. alba (Tony Hughes)

Cephalanthera damasonium (White Helleborine): Whole plant (Stan Jordan); Flower spike (Bill Temple)

Cephalanthera longifolia (Sword-leaved Helleborine): Whole plant (Tony Hughes); Flower spike (Simon Tarrant); Close-up (Tony Hughes)

Cephalanthera rubra (Red Helleborine): Whole plant (Bill Temple); Close-up (Bill Temple)

Coeloglossum viride - see Dactylorhiza viridis

Corallorhiza trifida (Coral-root Orchid): Whole plant (Steve Davidson); Whole plant (Alan Gendle)

Cypripedium calceolus (Lady's Slipper Orchid): Whole plant Barry Tattersall; Whole plant (Graham Giles); Close-up (Tony Hughes)

Dactylorhiza ebudensis (Hebridean Marsh Orchid): Whole plant (Steve Davidson)

Dactylorhiza fuchsii (Common Spotted Orchid): Flower spikes (Bill Temple); var. alba (Tony Hughes); "Dagger lipped" form (Patrick Marks)

Dactylorhiza fuchsii var. rhodochila: Flower spikes  (Graham Giles); Flower spike (Patrick Marks);  Close-up (Graham Giles); Close-up (Patrick Marks)

Dactylorhiza fuchsii var. cornubiensis: Flower spike (Stan Jordan); Flower spike (Stan Jordan)

Dactylorhiza incarnata (Early Marsh Orchid): Whole plant (Stan Jordan); Flower spike (Tony Hughes); Close-up (Tony Hughes)

Dactylorhiza incarnata ssp. coccinea (Early Marsh Orchid, dune form): Flower spike (Tony Hughes); Close-up (Tony Hughes)

Dactylorhiza incarnata ssp. cruenta (Blood-red Early Marsh Orchid or Flecked Marsh Orchid); Whole plant (Barry Tattersall); Whole plant (Kevin Joynes); Flower spike (Barry Tattersall)

Dactylorhiza incarnata ssp. ochroleuca (Early Marsh Orchid, yellow form): Flower spike (Bill Temple); Flower spike (Stan Jordan)

Dactylorhiza incarnata var. pulchella (Early Marsh Orchid, purple form): Flower spike (Tony Hughes); var. alba (Richard Robinson)

Dactylorhiza occidentalis var. kerryensis (Irish Marsh Orchid): Whole plants (Kevin Joynes)

Dactylorhiza maculata (Heath Spotted Orchid): Flower spike (Bill Temple); Whole plant (Tony Hughes); var. rhodochila (Tony Hughes)

Dactylorhiza praetermissa (Southern Marsh Orchid): Whole plant (Bill Temple); Flower spike (Bill Temple); var. junialis/pardalina Leaves (Tony Hughes)

Dactylorhiza purpurella (Northern Marsh Orchid): Whole plant (Alan Gendle); Flower spike (Tony Hughes); var. atrata (hyperchromic form); Flower spike (Richard Robinson); Close-up (Richard Robinson)

Dactylorhiza traunsteinerioides (Narrow-leaved Marsh Orchid); Whole plant (Alan Gendle)

Dactylorhiza traunsteinerioides ssp. lapponica (Lapland marsh orchid); *Whole plant (Kevin Joynes)

Dactylorhiza (Coeloglossum) viridis  (Frog Orchid): Whole plant (Tony Hughes); Close-up (Tony Hughes)

Epipactis atrorubens (Dark Red Helleborine): Whole plant (Tony Hughes); Close-up (Tony Hughes)

Epipactis dunensis (Dune Helleborine): Flower spike (Tony Hughes); Close-up (Bill Temple)

Epipactis helleborine (Broad-leaved Helleborine): Whole plant (Tony Hughes); Flower spike (Simon Tarrant); green flowered form ***Close-up (John Spencer); var. albifolia  **Whole plant (Bill Temple); **Close-up (Bill Temple)

Epipactis leptochila (Narrow-lipped Helleborine): Close-up (Bill Temple)

Epipactis palustris (Marsh Helleborine): Flower spike (Tony Hughes); Close-up (Bill Temple); var. ochroleuca; Flower spike (Graham Giles);  var. purpurea; Close-up (John Devries)

Epipactis phyllanthes (Green Helleborine): Close-up (Graham Giles); Close-up (John Spencer)

Epipactis purpurata (Violet Helleborine): Whole plant (Tony Hughes); Close-up (Tony Hughes); var. rosea Whole plant (Graham Giles); Close-up (Graham Giles)

Epipactis sancta (Lindisfarne Helleborine): **Flower spike (Bill Temple); **Close-up (Bill Temple)

Epipogium aphyllum (Ghost Orchid): Whole plant (Barry Tattersall); Flower spike (Barry Tattersall); Close-up (Nigel Johnson); Close-up (Tony Hughes)

Goodyera repens (Creeping Ladies' Tresses): Colony (Patrick Marks); Close-up (Graham Giles)

Gymnadenia borealis (former G. conopsea var. borealis) (Heath Fragrant Orchid): *Flower spike (Bill Temple); *Flower spike (pale form) (Patrick Marks)

Gymnadenia conopsea (Fragrant Orchid): Flower spikes (Stan Jordan); var. alba Flower spike (Tony Hughes); Bi-coloured form (Alan Gendle)

Gymnadenia densiflora (former G. conopsea var. densiflora) (Marsh Fragrant Orchid): Flower spike (Tony Hughes)

Hammarbya paludosa (Bog Orchid): Location (Tony Hughes), Whole plant (Tony Hughes); Close-up (Tony Hughes); Pseudobulbs (Tony Hughes)

Herminium monorchis (Musk Orchid): Group (Graham Giles); Flower spike (Tony Hughes)

Himantoglossum hircinum (Lizard Orchid): Whole plant (Tony Hughes); Flower spike (Stan Jordan); Flower bud (Tony Hughes)

Liparis loeselii (Narrow-leaved Fen Orchid): Whole plant (Graham Giles); ssp. ovata Whole plant (Tony Hughes);  Close-up (Tony Hughes)

Listera cordata see Neottia cordata

Listera ovata see Neottia ovata

Neotinea maculata (Dense flowered or 'Burren' Orchid): Whole plant (Graham Giles); Flower spike (Graham Giles)

Neotinea (Orchis) ustulata  (Burnt-tip Orchid): Flower spikes (Tony Hughes); Close-up (Tony Hughes); var. albiflora Group of plants (Barry Tattersall); Whole plant (Graham Giles); Flower spike (Graham Giles)

Neottia (Listera) cordata  (Lesser Twayblade): Whole plant (Patrick Marks); Flower spike (red form, Steve Davidson): Flower spike (green form, Graham Giles)

Neottia nidus-avis (Bird's-nest Orchid): Whole plant (Stan Jordan); Flower spike (Bill Temple); var. pallida: Flower spike (Barry Tattersall)

Neottia (Listera) ovata  (Twayblade): Whole plant (Tony Hughes); Flower spike *(Bill Temple); Close-up (Patrick Marks); Close-up (dark form) (Patrick Marks); Form with extra leaf (John Spencer)

Ophrys apifera (Bee Orchid): Flower spike (Bill Temple); Close-up (Tony Hughes); Bee/Wasp anomaly (Colin Clay); var. belgaricum (Alan Gendle); var. bicolor (Peter Sheasby); var. bicolor (Tony Hughes); var. bicolor (Richard Manuel); var. chlorantha  Flower spike (Graham Giles); Close-up (Graham Giles); var. flavescens (Graham Giles); var. freibergensis (Tony Hughes); var. trollii  (Bill Temple)

Ophrys fuciflora / Ophrys holoserica (Late Spider Orchid): Whole plant (Duncan McCree); Close-up **(Bill Temple)

Ophrys insectifera (Fly Orchid): Flower spike (Tony Hughes); Close-up (Tony Hughes); yellow form (Graham Giles); var. ochroleuca Flower spike (Barry Tattersall); Close-up (Barry Tattersall)

Ophrys sphegodes (Early Spider Orchid): Whole plant (Tony Hughes); Close-up (Tony Hughes); Close-up (Bill Temple)

Orchis (Aceras) anthropophora  (Man Orchid): Flower spike (Ian Rogers); Close-up (Tony Hughes)

Orchis laxiflora  see Anacamptis laxiflora

Orchis mascula (Early Purple Orchid): Group of plants (Tony Hughes); Close-up (Tony Hughes); White variant (Kevin Joynes) Close-up (John Spencer); Red variant  (Patrick Marks):  Pink variant  (Stan Jordan) 

Orchis militaris (Military Orchid): Group (Graham Giles); Flower spike (Tony Hughes)

Orchis morio  see Anacamptis morio

Orchis purpurea (Lady Orchid): Whole plant (Ian Rogers); Flower spike (Ian Rogers); Close-up (Tony Hughes); var. alba Flower spike (Tony Hughes)

Orchis simia (Monkey Orchid): Whole plant (Stan Jordan); Flower spike (Tony Hughes); Close-up (Tony Hughes)

Orchis ustulata  see Neotinea ustulata

Platanthera bifolia (Lesser Butterfly Orchid): Whole plant (Tony Hughes); Close-up (Tony Hughes)

Platanthera chlorantha (Greater Butterfly Orchid): Flower spike (Ian Rogers); Close-up (Tony Hughes)

Pseudorchis albida (Small White Orchid): Whole plant (Patrick Marks); Flower spike (Graham Giles)

Serapias parviflora (Small-flowered Tongue Orchid): Whole plant (Stan Jordan); Flower spike (Stan Jordan)

Spiranthes romanzoffiana (Irish Ladies' Tresses):  Flower spike (Richard Manuel); Close-up (Steve Davidson)

Spiranthes spiralis (Autumn Ladies' Tresses): *Leaves (Roger Grier); Group of plants (Tony Hughes); Close-up (Tony Hughes)

British Orchid Hybrids

Many species of orchids are closely related to each other and occasionally manage to interbreed, producing natural hybrids. Often hybrid will have characteristics intermediate between its two parents and sometimes will be very robust ("hybrid vigour"), but identification may require inspired guesswork! Most natural hybrids are "intrageneric", meaning that both parents are members of the same genus. However, occasionally one may find an "intergeneric" (or "bigeneric") hybrid, where the parents come from different genera. Several conditions must be fulfilled for a hybrid to occur. Firstly, both parents must be in flower at the same time, and must grow sufficiently close for a pollinator to make the journey between them. Secondly, some creature must carry pollen from one parent to the other - but the culprit may not necessarily be the normal pollinator of either species. Thirdly, pollination is only likely if the chromosomes of both parents are sufficiently similar; this is probably the greatest barrier to the formation of intergeneric hybrids. It is interesting to note that the recent reclassification of orchids by Richard Bateman and colleagues has not only reduced the number of known "intergeneric" hybrids, but also provided an insight into why certain other possible hybrids do not occur.

It is intended to expand this section as more photographs become available - so all members of the Hardy Orchid Society are encouraged to contribute photographs of natural hybrids between British orchids. While it would be nice if the pictures were taken in the British Isles, we are initially happy to accept photographs taken abroad of hybrids that could occur here. The identification of the parents of all the hybrids illustrated here have been provided by the individual photographers, who retain their copyright.

*** = added Aug/Sept 2006;  ** = added Feb 2005; * = added Sept 2004

All pictures have been provided by HOS members, who retain the copyright to their pictures.

None of the pictures may be reproduced without the owner's permission.

Intrageneric Hybrids

Cephalanthera damasonium x Cephalanthera longifolia (White x Sword-leaved): Whole plant (Tony Hughes)

Dactylorhiza fuchsii x Dactylorhiza incarnata (Common Spotted x  Early Marsh Orchid): Flower spike (Les Lewis)

Dactylorhiza fuchsii x Dactylorhiza maculata (Common Spotted x Heath Spotted Orchid): Flower spikes & Close-up (Graham Giles & Patrick Marks)

Dactylorhiza fuchsii x Dactylorhiza praetermissa (Common Spotted x Southern Marsh Orchid): Group of plants (Tony Hughes); Close-up (Bill Temple); Close-up (Bill Temple); Close-up (Bill Temple);

Dactylorhiza fuchsii x Dactylorhiza purpurella (Common Spotted x Northern Marsh Orchid): Whole plant  (Barry Tattersall); Flower spike (Graham Giles); Flower spike (Bill Temple); Flower spike (Patrick Marks)

Dactylorhiza incarnata var. coccinea  x  Dactylorhiza praetermissa (Early Marsh Orchid (red form) x Southern Marsh Orchid): ***Flower spike (John Spencer)

Dactylorhiza incarnata var. pulchella x  Dactylorhiza maculata (Early Marsh Orchid (purple form) x Heath Spotted Orchid): Whole plant (Barry Tattersall);  Flower spike (Barry Tattersall)

Dactylorhiza incarnata x Dactylorhiza purpurella (Early Marsh Orchid x Northern Marsh Orchid) :***Flower spike (John Spencer)

Dactylorhiza incarnata var. pulchella x Dactylorhiza purpurella (Early Marsh Orchid (purple form) x Northern Marsh Orchid): ***Flower spike (John Spencer)

Dactylorhiza maculata x Dactylorhiza praetermissa (Heath Spotted Orchid x Southern Marsh Orchid):***Flower spike (John Spencer)

Dactylorhiza purpurella x Dactylorhiza maculata (Northern Marsh Orchid x Heath Spotted Orchid): Flower spikes (Patrick Marks): Close-up (Patrick Marks)

Dactylorhiza (Coeloglossum) viridis x Dactylorhiza fuchsii var. hebridensis (Frog x Hebridean Spotted Orchid): Whole plant (Barry Tattersall); Flower spike (Barry Tattersall); Flower spike (Patrick Marks)

Dactylorhiza (Coeloglossum) viridis x Dactylorhiza fuchsii (Frog x Common Spotted Orchid): Whole plant (Barry Tattersall); Flower spike (Barry Tattersall); **Flower spike (John Spencer)

Dactylorhiza (Coeloglossum) viridis x Dactylorhiza incarnata ssp. coccinea (Frog x Dune Early Marsh Orchid): Flower spike (Barry Tattersall)

Ophrys apifera x Ophrys fuciflora (Bee x Late Spider Orchid): Close-up (Bill Temple)

Ophrys apifera x Ophrys insectifera (Bee x Fly Orchid): Flower spike (Graham Giles); Close-up (Graham Giles)

Orchis (Aceras) anthropophora x Orchis simia (Man x Monkey Orchid): Whole plant  (Barry Tattersall); Flower spike (Barry Tattersall)

Orchis militaris x Orchis purpurea (Military x Lady): Whole plant (Tony Hughes); Flower spike (Tony Hughes); Close-up (Tony Hughes)

Orchis purpurea  x Orchis simia (Lady x Monkey): ***Flower spike (Mike Gasson); ***Flower spike (Bill Temple); ***Flower spike (Mike Gasson)

Platanthera bifolia x Platanthera chlorantha (Lesser x Greater Butterfly Orchid): Flower spike (Barry Tattersall)

Bigeneric Hybrids

Dactylorhiza fuchsii x Gymnadenia borealis (Common Spotted x Heath Fragrant Orchid): Flower spike (Patrick Marks); Flower spike (Patrick Marks); Flower spike (Patrick Marks); Flower spike (Patrick Marks)

Dactylorhiza fuchsii x Gymnadenia conopsea (Common Spotted x Fragrant Orchid): Flower spike (Tony Hughes)

Dactylorhiza incarnata x Gymnadenia borealis (Early Marsh x Heath Fragrant Orchid): ssp incarnata Flower spike (Patrick Marks); ssp. pulchella Flower spike (Alan Gendle)

Dactylorhiza maculata x Gymnadenia borealis (Heath Spotted x Heath Fragrant Orchid): Flower spike (Barry Tattersall & Patrick Marks)

Dactylorhiza purpurella x Gymnadenia borealis (Northern Marsh x Heath Fragrant Orchid): Flower spike (John Spencer)

Gymnadenia borealis x Pseudorchis albida (Heath Fragrant Orchid x Small White Orchid): Flower spike (Patrick Marks)

Orchid Pollination

One particularly fascinating aspect of orchids is the way so many different pollination mechanisms have evolved. Flowers with spurs generally attract insects seeking nectar, though some species may cheat the insects by failing to produce nectar. While the insect is attempting to reach the nectar, it comes into contact with pads of "super-glue" joined to the pollinia. When the insect moves on, the pollinia remain attached to it, their stalks bending so that pollen is in the correct position to make contact with the stigmatic surface of the next flower visited. 

Long spurs, as in Anacamptis pyramidalis and Platanthera species, match the long tongues of butterflies and moths, while shorter spurs of many Orchis and Dactylorhiza species are a good match for the shorter tongues of bees. The nectar-bearing cups near the base of the lips of various Epipactis species are fine for wasps. The most elaborate evolution may have occurred in orchids such as Ophrys, where the flower of each species has evolved to mimic the female of some type of insect, using scent and/or tactile means. The males are deceived into attempting to copulate with the flowers, during which the pollinia become attached to some part of the insects anatomy. 

Some Ophrys also appear to resort to self-pollination if no insect pollinators are present at the appropriate time. One of the consequences of self-pollination is that genetic mutations are passed on to all offspring of the mutant parent, thus giving rise to many stable populations, such as the "Wasp" orchid (Ophrys apifera var. trollii).

In the mid-nineteenth century Charles Darwin wrote a most detailed book about the subject entitled "The Various Contrivances by which Orchids are Fertilised by Insects" (for details of a modern reprint see the Book List). One of his most famous predictions was the existence of a moth with a tongue long enough to reach the nectar in the enormously long (11" or 28 cm) spurs of  Angraecum sesquipedale - forty two years later the moth Xanthopan morganii praedicta was discovered and Darwin was vindicated.

The action photographs in this section provide excellent illustrations of the way in which different pollinators are suited to particular orchid species, and how pollinia become attached to the pollinators.

All pictures have been provided by HOS members, who retain the copyright to their pictures.

None of the pictures may be reproduced without the owner's permission.

Anacamptis pyramidalis (Pyramidal Orchid): *Burnet Moth (Tony Hughes); *Burnet Moths (Tony Hughes); *Burnet Moth (Tony Hughes)

Dactylorhiza fuchsii (Common Spotted Orchid): *Pollinia (Tony Hughes)

Dactylorhiza praetermissa (Southern Marsh Orchid): *Bumble Bee (Tony Hughes)

Epipactis helleborine (Broad-leaved Helleborine): *Wasp (Tony Hughes); *Wasp (Tony Hughes)

Epipactis purpurata (Violet Helleborine): *Wasp (Bill Temple)

Epipactis palustris (Marsh Helleborine): *Hoverfly (Bill Temple); *Hoverfly (Bill Temple);  Honey Bee  (Bill Temple);   Wasp  (Bill Temple)

Gymnadenia conopsea (Fragrant Orchid): *Hummingbird Hawkmoth (Bill Temple)

Himantoglossum hircinum (Lizard Orchid):  ***Wasp (Bill Temple)

Ophrys apifera (Bee Orchid): **Hoverfly (Richard Manuel)

Ophrys apifera (Bee Orchid): *Ready to self-pollinate (Tony Hughes)

Ophrys insectifera (Fly Orchid): *Wasp (Barry Tattersall)

Spiranthes spiralis (Autumn Lady's Tresses) ***Buff-tailed bumblebee (Bill Temple); ***Buff-tailed bumblebee (Bill Temple)

HOS Committee

How to Join

The Hardy Orchid Society is always pleased to welcome new members. Members automatically receive four copies of the Journal per year and are entitled to take part in all HOS activities. 

The membership year runs from 1st May to 30th April. Anyone joining before 1st April will be assumed to be joining for the current year, unless they state that they are joining for the next year.

Subscriptions for 2007/8 and 2008/9 are as follows:

*By popular demand, we are now accepting payment in euros (cash only, no cheques or bank transfers) from members of the European Union and in US dollars (cash only, no cheques or bank transfers) from overseas members.  The amounts may vary every year depending on exchange rates.  We cannot accept payments by credit or debit card.

For those joining and paying by standing order, the joining fee is waived. 

If you have a printer and Adobe Reader, you can print your own forms by clicking on the links below -

Membership Application Form

Standing Order Form

Publicity leaflet/membership form

Adobe Reader can be downloaded free of charge from http://www.adobe.co.uk/products/main.html. 

If you do not have a printer, the Membership Secretary can supply forms.

Contact details:

Celia Wright, The Windmill, Vennington, Westbury, Shrewsbury  SY5 9RG. Email  Celia Wright 

All applications should be sent to the Membership Secretary.

We are continually looking to improve our services to members, so we are particularly keen to know what new members hope to gain from the Society. It is also good to hear what you think of the Society after you have been with us for a while. Compliments are nice, but if you want to be rude, we can take it! 

Conservation Code

Conservation

1.           The HOS appoints a Conservation Officer whose principal role is to inform and advise members and external bodies on orchid conservation issues and to co-ordinate the practical conservation activities of the society.

2.       In order to reduce the pressure on populations of wild orchids and to safeguard the future of rare and endangered species, the HOS encourages the propagation of hardy orchids from legitimately acquired material and the sale of surplus legally propagated plants.

3.           Members should be aware that it is an offence to collect wild orchid seed without appropriate permission. In most of the UK the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 applies (in Scotland the Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004 takes precedence). For species listed in Schedule 8 (see below) of the Wildlife and Countryside Act, permission to collect seed can be given only by Natural England (or the equivalent bodies for Scotland and Wales); for all other species, only the landowner’s permission must be obtained. In order to be prepared for possible changes in legislation it may be wise to ensure that documentation exists to prove that the collection of seed or other material was legal.

4.           The HOS is keen that orchids threatened by change of land use should be relocated to suitable safe locations.  Members are encouraged to inform the Conservation Officer whenever native orchid sites are known to be under threat. Where threats cannot be averted, the Conservation Officer (or nominated deputy) will normally seek authority to relocate the threatened plants. Members must never attempt to rescue or relocate wild orchids without first obtaining the appropriate permissions and, if possible, consulting the HOS Conservation Officer; the latter is essential if there is a desire to use the HOS name.

5.           The HOS supports the re-introduction of native orchid species to appropriate wild sites, and has undertaken several such projects. Members should consult the Conservation Officer before attempting any re-introduction project.

6.           The HOS opposes all activities that may contravene national or international law relating to plants. The HOS recommends that its members should NOT buy, sell or exhibit orchids that have been collected from the wild. The HOS will not allow anyone convicted of offences relating to wild plants to join the Society or to renew their subscription if they are already a member.

7.       Seed donated to the seed bank should be sent either with a copy of the document permitting collection of the seed or with a clear statement that the seed has been taken from plants growing on the sender’s property.

Examples of Conservation Activities