Rare orchid Irish lady's-tresses spotted at Ceredigion nature reserve
- Published
The rare orchid was spotted at the end of July
A rare orchid called Irish lady's-tresses has appeared on a Welsh nature reserve.
A small colony of the creamy white flowers were found on Cors Fochno, a peat bog between Borth and the Dyfi estuary in Ceredigion.
The discovery was made at the end of July by a Natural Resources Wales (NRW) staff member.
Mike Bailey of NRW said it was an "astonishing find".
"Wild orchids are well known for long-distance dispersal and unpredictable flowering, they have a short flowering period from mid July to August, and flowering doesn't occur every year," he said.
"Although widespread in north America, in Europe the orchid is confined to a small number of sites in north-west Scotland and Ireland."
Based on genetic studies, experts believe the species may have colonised Ireland from seeds blown across the Atlantic, so wind-blown seeds may account for the orchid appearing in Ceredigion.
- Published28 July 2019
- Published12 July 2019
- Published24 February 2019
- Published2 August 2018
