Epipactis helleborine - Broad-leaved Helleborine

Taxonomy

Phylum: Magnoliophyta

Class: Liliopsida

Order: Orchidales

Family: Orchidaceae

Anyone fond of walking in woods and forests in high summer might come across the Broad-leaved Helleborine which grows in clearings and often appears very close to well trodden paths. Pine woodland is particularly good for Broad-leaved Helleborines.

In west Wales we frequently find them in the pine woodlands in the Boncath area.

This species of Helleborine is often confused with others in the genus due the the many colour variations of the flowers from plant to plant even when they are growing in close proximity to each otherr. It is the leaves that are distinctive, living up to their name they are wide and ribbed and unlike the leaves of other helleborine species. Smaller bract-like leaves appear higher up the stem - see left.

The specimen above was photographed in the Algarve in Portugal in early May.

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