Liparis loeselii - Fen Orchid - (Orchidaceae)

Liparis loeselii - Fen orchid

The Fen orchid is very small and inconspicuous, and is now listed as an endangered species in Britain where it occurs in permanently wet marshland on the Norfolk Broads. By far the larger part of the Brisith population can be found in the dune slacks of South Wales, in particular at Kenfig National Nature Reserve where up to 90% of the total UK number can be found.

Kenfig National Nature Reserve now has an ongoing programme to protect the Fen Orchid, and CCW (Countryside Council for Wales) is working in partnership with Kenfig staff to improve the habitat at the nature reserve. There is already a programme of close mowing being carried out each year to simulate the effects of animal grazing necessary for the orchids' survival, but now it is proposed to create new dune slacks in the hope that the orchids will colonise them. This five year programme commenced in 2009.

The threat to the Fen Orchid population at Kenfig National Nature Reserve was identified during the 1990s, and it is hoped that colonisation of the new dune slacks by the fen orchid will take place within 10 years of the start of the programme. The scheme is to be monitored throughout by CCW.

Like the Common Twayblade (Neottia ovata) to which the Fen orchid is related it is hard to spot as it blends in so well with the other plants to be found in the same area. It seldom grows taller than 25 cm, normally has two broad leaves (again like the Twayblade) and typically three to six distinctive greenish-yellow flowers. It occurs throughout the temperate zone of Europe and also in temperate and boreal North America.

The specimen above was photographed at Kenfig Nature Reserve in South Wales in mid June.