In the beginning of June the plan had risen to search for the illustre Dactylorhiza sphagnicola (for which is no English name). In Dutch it is referred to as: "Veenorchis", in German: "Torfmoos-Knabenkraut", and in French: "Orchis des sphaignes". As it's name would suggest it grows preferably on Sphagnum moss carpets.
Start of the day
We started in Limburg with a very peculiar hybrid that was recently discovered in the Netherlands. In a calcareous grassland a hybrid between the Fragrant Orchid - Gymnadenia conopsea s.l. and the Common Spotted Orchid - Dactylorhiza fuchsii. It's hybrid name is x Dactylodenia st-quintinii
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Rechterbach
The Rechterbach is one of the many small stream vallies in the Ardennes. As a result of constant wet conditions along the river banks peat has formed in depressions. It is in these meadows with Sedges, Common Cottongrass, Marsh Violet and Bog Asphodel can be found with Dactylorhiza sphagnicola. At least that was what we expected! After getting wet feet and a few hours later we must conclude that there were no pure Dactylorhiza sphagnicola to be found at this station. Only plants who looked like Dactylorhiza maculata var. elodes whom can be referred to as an eco-variant of the Heath Spotted Orchid - Dactylorhiza maculata.
The RechterbachBrackvenn
After a longer drive then we expected (road diversions) we reached the Brackvenn in the afternoon. The wetter conditions were extremely bad for visiting a bog. There was not only a sigh of wind with a temperature of over 25 degrees. Combine this with the date: first week of June and most people will think "Horseflies". Luckily those buggers weren't present. Walking in the Brackvenn is confined to a wooden and raised pathway. because of the wetter conditions I wasn't able to confirm the find of the Cranberry Fritillary - Boloria auilonaris. In the distance we spotted several "unidentified orange flying objects", but when we came (to) close they all took off. At the end of the day we spotted between 40 - 100 individuals of Dactylorhiza sphagnicola who grew in the so called "Palsen".
One of the few remaining Palsen in the Brackvenn.
Dactylorhiza sphagnicola a.k.a. Veenorchis, Torfmoos-Knabenkraut and Orchis des Sphaignes
