Local orchids are often attractive with their pretty bright pinks, purples, and even yellows.
But here are two orchids that are not bright and arguably not particularly attractive, making it easy to overlook them.
One is the Broad Leaved Helleborine, a drab-looking plant, mainly green, producing small dark pink/purple flowers.
If you look for it, you can find it in many different places, such as woodlands, hedgerows, and roadsides.
Once you spot it for the first time, you will keep seeing it.
It is now so common around Glasgow that it is called the Glasgow Orchid.
Another drab-looking orchid is the Bird’s Nest Orchid.
The name comes from the tangle of roots that are supposed to resemble a bird’s nest. These roots are necessary, as, unlike most plants, there is no green in the plant’s foliage, so no chlorophyll is present to enable it to make sugars. Instead, it relies on the presence of a particular fungus in the soil for its nutrients. This fungus, in turn, attaches itself to trees such as beech for its nutrients.
Specimens did occur on the South Trail, Calderglen Country Park in East Kilbride. Sadly these have not been seen for some time.
The illustrated specimen above was seen recently in dense woodland in the Calderwood area within the north end of Calderglen Country Park.
Its preference for dense shade and specific growing conditions make the Birds nest Orchid hard to spot, so unlike the Broad Leaved Helleborine, it is rarely seen. Therefore few records exist, suggesting it is rare, but could that be due to under-recording?
So while out exploring, be aware of what you can easily overlook.