Once it was called a 'albiflora'
and today it's called a possible hybrid'
There are two train of thoughts!
It is thought that back in 2016 perhaps there had been some sort of interference with the plants rhyzome to take on this "white" effect which may have later corrected itself to how it should have been.
Or the only other explanation I can think of is that the 2016 plant died off and a new plant has grown in its place. This could well be the more likely because in 2017 all I had to show was a seedling (without inflorescence) which is shown in the photo lower down, and in 2018 the same plant was still maturing and again never produced inflorescence, although I had started to notice it was very dark (purple) at the base of the stem.
The first photo taken of the rare "Albiflora" on 1st July 2016
Shows how it is nestled down the gryke
The second photo showing the Albiflora taken on 1st July 2016 (Click over to enlarge)
Photo taken on 10th July 2016 (Click over to enlarge)
This photo was taken one week later on the 7th July 2016 by Graham Preston
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| Epipactis atrorubens var albiflora - both photos kindly shared by Grahame Preston (taken on 7th July 2016) (Please click over to enlarge) |
I found this solitary specimen on or around the 1st July 2016. It has been confirmed by several orchid authorities as a "Albiflora" atrorubens variant.
I found the plant low down within a gryke, it stood at about 10" high and had these three flowers (seen above in photo), plus more in closed bud higher up the stem. Sadly these higher buds actually turned black along with the upper stem which did not make it and the plant died prematurely.
Its also interesting follow up reading at the following website: http://www.albiflora.eu/blog/?page_id=1134
2017 UPDATE - The plant has remained caged and did come through again in 2017 but never achieved maturity. The plant grew to about 6" high and did not produce any flowerhead just leaves and that is the way it remained throughout the 2017 season. Also the leaf edge profile has been checked on this specimen (20th Aug 2017) which show it as 100% atroruben profile.
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| Albiflora on 17th June 2017 (Click over to enlarge) And this is as good as it got! |
2018 UPDATE - The plant has remained caged and did come through yet again in 2018 but never achieved maturity again. The plant did grow a little taller to about 8" high and did not produce any flowerhead just leaves and that is the way it has remained. Surprised to see so much red in the lower stem.
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| Albiflora 2018 |
Epipactis atrorubens var Albiflora (click over to enlarge)
Photo: Hutton Roof on 15th June 2019
Epipactis atrorubens var Albiflora (click over to enlarge)
Photo: Hutton Roof on 15th June 2019
Top 3 photos show: Epipactis atrorubens var Albiflora (click over to enlarge)
Photo: Hutton Roof on 15th June 2019
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(2019 Update) And would you ever believe what was the Albiflora in 2016 has come through this year as a possible hybrid and shown here in the next photo......
Albiflora interest has now been aroused yet again with Greg Sowman's find on Uberash:
exact spot
*******
(2019 Update) And would you ever believe what was the Albiflora in 2016 has come through this year as a possible hybrid and shown here in the next photo......
Possible hybrid - Click over to enlarge
Photo: Hutton Roof 8th July 2019
from the 55 populations - This is how the albiflora came through this year
from the 55 populations - This is how the albiflora came through this year
This photo shows a more close up of the spiralling in a
later generation plant.
2020 (Update)
The plant came through but yet again had reverted back to a seedling state which never achieved inflorescence
"A mystery"......
2020 (Update)
The plant came through but yet again had reverted back to a seedling state which never achieved inflorescence
"A mystery"......
2022- The plant remained caged and came through as 2019
2023- victim of severe dehydration.
2024- Did not reach inflorescence.
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Possible "Albiflora" found on Uberash, Hutton Roof (2019)
In 2019 Greg from Leicestershire was up on Hutton Roof, checking out a different area to my usual patch, over on Uberash Roughs and he found this beautiful specimen shown below. When he sent the photos through he also let me have the details of were he found it. I quickly went over to check and guess what? I did find the plant and its light green stem but without any inflorescence. So I made notes and put it in the diary for 2020.
So this year comes along and I found the notes so thought I will go a little earlier (a few days earlier) and again found it, but sadly all I got was a light green stem missing its inflorescence. So hopefully by 2021 I may find it and at the same time provide a secure cage, lets hope so.
I think this could well be a "Albiflora" which would be mega rare in the UK, and something so special, but certainly if not we have another very brightly coloured Pallens and of special interest being outside of my present study area.
Another beautiful pallid form
possibly ALBIFLORA
but if not another Pallens
photo by
Greg Sowman on Hutton Roof 2019
included in this addendum by kind permission
Another beautiful pallid form
possibly ALBIFLORA
Photo by Greg Sowman
included in this addendum with kind permission
Another beautiful pallid form
possibly ALBIFLORA
Photo by Greg Sowman
included in this addendum with kind permission
Another beautiful pallid form
possibly ALBIFLORA
but if not another Pallens
photo by
Greg Sowman on Hutton Roof 2019
included in this addendum with kind permission
I have gone up on Uberash Roughs (Hutton Roof Common) each year since Greg found this specimen and in 2020, found what I thought may have been the same plant but sadly the inflorescence was missing. Last year the plant never showed.
2022 update
Although we had the grid reference, Bryan and I were not certain of the exact spot where this spike was photographed. On many occasions out of the orchid season I have stopped by this area and tried to match up the limestone from Greg's photographs, without success.
On 15th July this year I finally found the exact spot. No sign of a specimen as above, but a good bicolour just out of shot of the first photograph below (there are other bicolours in this area).
Next year I will get here early.
Bicolor
2023- checked early, no show.
2024 no show