RARE LIZARD ORCHID!

I was very privileged today to be taken by someone I know who is a Botanist to see a very rare plant in the UK a Lizard Orchid. She had stumbled across it by chance whilst out walking and with great excitement reported it to the local Botanical group. She was told they were aware and monitoring this which was the only one in Surrey.

Britannica on line Encyclopedia says
lizard orchid plant (Himantoglossum hircinum), unusual-looking plant of the family Orchidaceae, occurring sporadically in a variety of dry European habitats. Each greenish-purple flower bears several long, slightly twisted lobes. The two side lobes resemble the hindlegs of a lizard, the long central part of the lip is similar to a tail, and the petals and sepals form the head and body.

Clearly this find was still in bud.

Whilst we were out she had said there are plenty of Common Spotted Orchids and we did see several.

From Wikipedia
The Common Spotted-orchid (Dactylorhiza fuchsii) is a commonly occurring species of European orchid. It is widely variable in colour and height, ranging from 15 to 60 cm in height. The flower colour can vary from white to pale purple with purple spots. The lip has three lobes. Some colonies are highly perfumed, attractive to day-flying moths.
Flowers: June-August.
Leaves: narrow lanceolate, keeled, often dark-spotted.
Distribution: ubiquitous from alkaline marshes to chalk downland. The most common orchid in Britain. After the Bee Orchid, the most successful coloniser of waste land.

Imagine her surprise and excitement to find yet another Lizard Orchid this time with buds just beginning to open. So are we the first to find the second Lizard Orchid in Surrey!

Lizard Orchid
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Lizard Orchid

Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Plantae
(unranked):
Angiosperms
(unranked):
Monocots
Order:
Asparagales
Family:
Orchidaceae
Subfamily:
Orchidoideae
Tribe:
Orchidae
Subtribe:
Orchidinae
Genus:
Himantoglossum
Species:
H. hircinum
Binomial name
Himantoglossum hircinum(L.) Spreng., 1826
The Lizard Orchid is more commonly known as Himantoglossum hircinum. It is found across Europe, from Spain eastwards to the Balkans and Hungary and in western North Africa. It is usually rare but can sometimes be found in great numbers in suitable habitats. This orchid grows in dry meadows, rocky areas, and open woods. It may reach a height of 90 cm.

[edit] Sites in Britain
The Lizard Orchid is found at a number of sites in Britain including the following in southwest England:
Berrow Dunes
Cuckoo Lake, Kendleshire, South Gloucestershire
A relatively large population is found in East Anglia, along the stretch of the "Devils Dyke" that runs through newmarket racecourse.

[edit] Sites in France
Small populations can be found along the French Mediterranean coast just south of Narbonne within 2kms of the sea and 2-4kms inland from the Gironde Estuary near Royan.