Orchid

The name orchid comes from orchis - translated meaning "testicle". Some species of orchid have long, thin roots or rhizomes, but the orchis group have a pair of tubers which resemble a pair of testicles. Even to this day the expression is used in Medicine - orchitis is a painful swelling of the testicles.

British Orchid Reclassification

Due to recent work done by Professor Richard Bateman, the UK orchid flora has been reclassified in the light of phylogenetic, population genetic & morphometric studies.

This modern analysis must be considered the current definitive current classification, and the galleries here reflect these changes. This means that the classification used here will be different to pretty well all current published books on British orchids. There are several big surprises that have come to light, such as the frog orchid belongs to the marsh orchid (dactylorhiza) group, and the green-winged orchid is no longer an orchis, but is an Anacamptis ( pyramidal orchid relative).

For the full classification list, please visit the Hardy Orchid Society website: Hardy Orchid Society

© Copyright Ophrys Photography 2012