I've just come back from friends on the Wirral. As we were walking back to
the station, there was a plant on the embankment that I didn't recognise. It
was between 8" and 10" in height and I don't recall seeing any leaves. It
had a thin stem and was crowned with a spire of between 15 and 20 smallish
(about ½") white flowers with deep purple spots. The 'eye' was dark. The
wife asked me was it an orchid as the flowers were certainly orchid-like,
but I don't know of any member of the orchidae family with more than one
flower to a stem.

Sorry for the poor description but can anyone identify it?

Thanks

Sarah

"Miss Perspicacia Tick" wrote in message
...
I've just come back from friends on the Wirral. As we were walking back to
the station, there was a plant on the embankment that I didn't recognise.
It was between 8" and 10" in height and I don't recall seeing any leaves.
It had a thin stem and was crowned with a spire of between 15 and 20
smallish (about ½") white flowers with deep purple spots. The 'eye' was
dark. The wife asked me was it an orchid as the flowers were certainly
orchid-like, but I don't know of any member of the orchidae family with
more than one flower to a stem.

Sorry for the poor description but can anyone identify it?

The wife was probably right.

There are about 40-60 orchid species native/wild in the UK and many have
small spikes of about 10-20 small flowers.
They look like miniature "shop" orchid flowers, usually with a large lower
"petal" or labellum.
They usually do have a rosette of leaves at the base of the stem.


Thanks

Sarah

In article , Miss
Perspicacia Tick writes
I've just come back from friends on the Wirral. As we were walking back to
the station, there was a plant on the embankment that I didn't recognise. It
was between 8" and 10" in height and I don't recall seeing any leaves. It
had a thin stem and was crowned with a spire of between 15 and 20 smallish
(about ½") white flowers with deep purple spots. The 'eye' was dark. The
wife asked me was it an orchid as the flowers were certainly orchid-like,
but I don't know of any member of the orchidae family with more than one
flower to a stem.

Depends what you mean as by a stem. Nearly all the british orchids have
a spire of flowers on the end of a stem, and even the foreign orchids
have several flowers to a stem, though each individual flower has a
short stalk coming off the stem.

If it was very pale purple rather than white, it could have been an
orchid. You should have seen some straplike leaves form the base. Best
identification would have come from getting very cloe and looking at the
individual flower - the british orchids have flowers very similar to
miniature versions of the exotic ones.
--
Kay
"Do not insult the crocodile until you have crossed the river"

"Miss Perspicacia Tick" wrote in message
...
I've just come back from friends on the Wirral. As we were walking back to
the station, there was a plant on the embankment that I didn't recognise.
It
was between 8" and 10" in height and I don't recall seeing any leaves. It
had a thin stem and was crowned with a spire of between 15 and 20 smallish
(about ½") white flowers with deep purple spots. The 'eye' was dark. The
wife asked me was it an orchid as the flowers were certainly orchid-like,
but I don't know of any member of the orchidae family with more than one
flower to a stem.
it?
_____________________-
European wild orchids do form spikes of many flowers~~ possibly one
or two exceptions. The Burnt-tip orchid fits your description and, despite
limited regions of growth, can be found in the Wirral.
Best Wishes Brian

Brian wrote:
"Miss Perspicacia Tick" wrote in message
...
I've just come back from friends on the Wirral. As we were walking
back to the station, there was a plant on the embankment that I
didn't recognise. It was between 8" and 10" in height and I don't
recall seeing any leaves. It had a thin stem and was crowned with a
spire of between 15 and 20 smallish (about ½") white flowers with
deep purple spots. The 'eye' was dark. The wife asked me was it an
orchid as the flowers were certainly orchid-like, but I don't know
of any member of the orchidae family with more than one flower to a
stem.
it?
_____________________-
European wild orchids do form spikes of many flowers~~ possibly
one or two exceptions. The Burnt-tip orchid fits your description
and, despite limited regions of growth, can be found in the Wirral.
Best Wishes Brian

Thanks both - I'm going up there again the week after next and, this time,
I'm going armed and I'll have photographic evidence.

Sarah

Brian wrote:
"Miss Perspicacia Tick" wrote in message
...
I've just come back from friends on the Wirral. As we were walking
back to the station, there was a plant on the embankment that I
didn't recognise. It was between 8" and 10" in height and I don't
recall seeing any leaves. It had a thin stem and was crowned with a
spire of between 15 and 20 smallish (about ½") white flowers with
deep purple spots. The 'eye' was dark. The wife asked me was it an
orchid as the flowers were certainly orchid-like, but I don't know
of any member of the orchidae family with more than one flower to a
stem.
it?
_____________________-
European wild orchids do form spikes of many flowers~~ possibly
one or two exceptions. The Burnt-tip orchid fits your description
and, despite limited regions of growth, can be found in the Wirral.
Best Wishes Brian

No, Brian, I can say categorically it did *NOT* look anything like that! ;o)

"Miss Perspicacia Tick" wrote ...
I've just come back from friends on the Wirral. As we were walking back to
the station, there was a plant on the embankment that I didn't recognise.
It was between 8" and 10" in height and I don't recall seeing any leaves.
It had a thin stem and was crowned with a spire of between 15 and 20
smallish (about ½") white flowers with deep purple spots. The 'eye' was
dark. The wife asked me was it an orchid as the flowers were certainly
orchid-like, but I don't know of any member of the orchidae family with
more than one flower to a stem.

Sorry for the poor description but can anyone identify it?


Take a look at all the photos on...
http://www.users.dircon.co.uk/~pniel...rs.htm#orchids
Especially the spotted orchids.

--
Regards
Bob
In Runnymede, 17 miles West of London

Bob Hobden wrote:
"Miss Perspicacia Tick" wrote ...
I've just come back from friends on the Wirral. As we were walking
back to the station, there was a plant on the embankment that I
didn't recognise. It was between 8" and 10" in height and I don't
recall seeing any leaves. It had a thin stem and was crowned with a
spire of between 15 and 20 smallish (about ½") white flowers with
deep purple spots. The 'eye' was dark. The wife asked me was it an
orchid as the flowers were certainly orchid-like, but I don't know
of any member of the orchidae family with more than one flower to a
stem. Sorry for the poor description but can anyone identify it?


Take a look at all the photos on...
http://www.users.dircon.co.uk/~pniel...rs.htm#orchids
Especially the spotted orchids.

Thanks, Bob, but that link appears to be dead.

Sarah

"Miss Perspicacia Tick" wrote Bob Hobden wrote:
"Miss Perspicacia Tick" wrote ...
I've just come back from friends on the Wirral. As we were walking
back to the station, there was a plant on the embankment that I
didn't recognise. It was between 8" and 10" in height and I don't
recall seeing any leaves. It had a thin stem and was crowned with a
spire of between 15 and 20 smallish (about ½") white flowers with
deep purple spots. The 'eye' was dark. The wife asked me was it an
orchid as the flowers were certainly orchid-like, but I don't know
of any member of the orchidae family with more than one flower to a
stem. Sorry for the poor description but can anyone identify it?


Take a look at all the photos on...
http://www.users.dircon.co.uk/~pniel...rs.htm#orchids
Especially the spotted orchids.

Thanks, Bob, but that link appears to be dead.

Worked for me just now.

--
Regards
Bob
In Runnymede, 17 miles West of London

"Miss Perspicacia Tick" wrote in message
...
Brian wrote:
"Miss Perspicacia Tick" wrote in message
...
I've just come back from friends on the Wirral. As we were walking
back to the station, there was a plant on the embankment that I
didn't recognise. It was between 8" and 10" in height and I don't
recall seeing any leaves. It had a thin stem and was crowned with a
spire of between 15 and 20 smallish (about ½") white flowers with
deep purple spots. The 'eye' was dark. The wife asked me was it an
orchid as the flowers were certainly orchid-like, but I don't know
of any member of the orchidae family with more than one flower to a
stem.
it?
_____________________-
European wild orchids do form spikes of many flowers~~ possibly
one or two exceptions. The Burnt-tip orchid fits your description
and, despite limited regions of growth, can be found in the Wirral.
Best Wishes Brian

Thanks both - I'm going up there again the week after next and, this time,
I'm going armed and I'll have photographic evidence.

Sarah
_____________
You will be too late~~~ but it does sound like one of our very many orchids.
Don't get too interested~ orchids can become a mania!!
Best Wishes Brian.

"Miss Perspicacia Tick" wrote in message
...
Bob Hobden wrote:
"Miss Perspicacia Tick" wrote ...
I've just come back from friends on the Wirral. As we were walking
back to the station, there was a plant on the embankment that I
didn't recognise. It was between 8" and 10" in height and I don't
recall seeing any leaves. It had a thin stem and was crowned with a
spire of between 15 and 20 smallish (about ½") white flowers with
deep purple spots. The 'eye' was dark. The wife asked me was it an
orchid as the flowers were certainly orchid-like, but I don't know
of any member of the orchidae family with more than one flower to a
stem. Sorry for the poor description but can anyone identify it?


Take a look at all the photos on...
http://www.users.dircon.co.uk/~pniel...rs.htm#orchids
Especially the spotted orchids.

Thanks, Bob, but that link appears to be dead.

it is ok for me (using Mozilla); try this page
http://www.users.dircon.co.uk/~pniel...s2.htm#spotted
these are the spotted orchids which are the commonest/most familiar ones.
You get them in damp meadows, damp roadside verges, bogs and other places.
When they are common you can get many hundreds at a time; there are even
some used in gardens although I suspect they take some work to get
established.




Sarah