Orchids in S.W. France

Well, the orchid season's started - with temperatures enough to make some of them wilt! 28 degrees today, and maybe higher tomorrow...

The most obvious orchid here (although uncommon in Britain) is the Lady Orchid - a relatively tall sturdy plant common on roadsides. I love the pink and white "dresses" with long sleeves and frilly hemlines:



Monkey Orchids are also found in the verges, though less commonly:


These are the "monkeys" in close-up - little faces, and curly pink "arms" and "legs".... and definitely, positively, absolutely NO cheeky smart-alec comments about possible other body parts... :D



These two species quite often hybridise to produce "Orchis x-angusticruris"... (Come on, now, you all really REALLY wanted to know that!)


Some more in the next thread....

[ 22. April 2007, 08:48 PM: Message edited by: Hyla arborea ]

 

Beautiful plants Hyla and really well photographed,I suppose they will be shedding seed everywhere. :D :D

 

Sorry, I've only now come across this thread. The Lady Orchid and the Monkey Orchid are real eye-catchers but I bet a lot of us would walk by without noticing them. The off-spring are very attractive too. Thanks for showing them to us Hyla.