Orchid Identified!
After baffling everyone for three years, the main orchid at Orchid Meadows private nature reserve and glamping site near Tregaron has finally been identified!
It has been named by the Ceredigion Plant Recorder for the Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland as the subspecies ericetorum of the heath spotted orchid.
Last summer over 1300 flowering heads of the orchid were counted by volunteers at the site, where management is based on advice from WTSWW's conservation team.
Doug Lloyd, Wildlife Trust Officer said, "the orchid genus Dactylorhiza is full of awkward hybrids and subspecies and this can cloud the picture regarding some of Britain’s most frequent orchids, including common spotted, heath spotted, early marsh, southern marsh and northern marsh."
Dactylorhiza maculata ssp. ericetorum, to give it its full scientific name, is a variant of the heath spotted orchid confined entirely to wet, acid soils, often along the western side of Britain and particularly West Wales.
“This ‘blending’ within the Dactylorhiza group is a perfect example of how nature continues to evolve when given the chance,” says Doug. “These orchids are a fairly ‘young’ group of species, so genetically they still have the ability to breed with similar species. Older-lived species cannot do this and in a way have become something of a genetic dead end with little more evolution to come.”
Tree Planting Day
In 2022 a new 5.5-acre wood was planted up at Orchid Meadows. It is now time to replace trees that have not taken and Doug Lloyd is organising a tree planting day for volunteers on Wednesday 6 March. The day will start with coffee and home-made cookies provided by the owners and will involve planting oak, Scot’s pine, hawthorn, hazel, rowan, aspen, alder and downy birch.
Please meet at Orchid Meadows at Bryneirian, Tynreithyn, Tregaron SY25 6LL at 10.30am. Directions can be found at https://www.orchidmeadows.co.uk/contact-us-find-us Bring packed lunch, suitable footwear (steel toe-capped boots or wellies preferable), clothes that are suitable for the weather and that you don’t mind getting dirty!
More information is available from Doug at d.lloyd@welshwildlife.org
A Thank you from Steve and Lynn at Orchid Meadows!
Steve and Lynn are kindly are offering WTSWW members a special discount of 25 per cent on stays during 2024 to say thank you for caring about nature.
If you’d like to see Orchid Meadows for yourself and stay in Tawny Cottage, Red Kite Yurt or Goldfinch Glampavan, take a look at the website at www.orchidmeadows.co.uk and then email hello@orchidmeadows.co.uk with your preferred dates, quoting “Discover nature offer”. Steve and Lynn will make the booking for you. The discount is available for all stays this year but the booking must be made by 31 March 2024.