Neotinea ustulata is one of the smallest orchids in the UK, at most 15 cm tall, and is often hard to spot even in its habitat of short grassland
Common names:
Burnt-tip orchid, burnt orchid
Family:
Scientific name:
Neotinea ustulata
Main flower color:
Range:
Small, scattered areas of south and central England
Height:
Between 8 and 15 cm
Habitat:
Chalk downs
Flowers:
The three sepals are dark purple (lighter when withered), around 3 mm long, enclosing the two upper petals, while the lower petal is mostly white, flecked with a few purple dots; it has two side lobes and a shallowly-divided middle lobe. Flowers form in a short, dense spike, covering around 3 cm at the top of the stem
Leaves:
Narrowly lanceolate, up to 6 cm long and 1 cm across, pointed at the tip; at the base and a few along the stem
Season:
May to June
Rarity:
★★★★★
