Scientific name: Orchis mascula
Most of the orchids found in Britain are quite rare, but purple orchids are relatively common. They are found in woodlands and in the headlands of permanent pasture well-shaded by mature hedges. The leaves are generally, but not always, dark spotted, and although purple is the most common color of this species occasionally you may find a white variant of this spring flower. Purple orchids bloom from April to June.

Orchis Group:
There are six species of the genus Orchis

1. Purple Orchid:
This is a very common orchid and can be found in most parts of the country in woodlands and grasslands. The Purple Orchid (Orchis mascula) is the earliest orchid to flower, generally during April in the south and slightly later towards the north. Flowering continues until the end of June. It usually has a prominent dark-blotched rosette of leaves at the base and a long purple stem ending in a spike of rich purple flowers. They may be paler or even white in color. The flower is mainly purple with a paler centre and sparse spotting of the lip becoming more concentrated at the throat of the flower. The sepals are thrown back which gives the flower a more open appearance.

2. Military Orchid:
The Military (or Soldier) Orchid (Orchis militaris) is extremely rare in Britain and is found only in a couple of sites in the Buckinghamshire Chilterns and Suffolk. This orchid is dedicatedly studied, carefully conserved and manually fertilized.

3. Monkey Orchid:
The Monkey Orchid (Orchis simia) is a small plant and it is unusual for British orchids in that its flowers open from the top-down rather than the other way around. Even it is a very rare species restricted to three sites, one in Buckinghamshire and the other two in Kent.

4. Lady Orchid:
The Lady Orchid (Orchis purpurea) can be found in dense woodland extending out into clearings. It can grow up to two feet in height and the flower head may have up to 50 flowers.

5. Burnt Orchid:
The Burnt Orchid (Orchis ustulata) gets its name from the burnt top of the flower head. It is found in sites in southern England on the Wiltshire Downs.

6. Green-winged Orchid:
The Green-winged or Green-veined Orchid (Orchis morio) is common in suitable, undisturbed, neutral or calcareous grassland. The flowers of are normally purple or pink color but white specimens can be quite commonly found.

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