Amerorchis rotundifolia

[ronaldhanko]

Photographed in Mount Robson Provincial Park, BC:



Native Orchids of the Pacific Northwest and the Canadian Rockies: Amerorchis rotundifolia near Kinney Lake

[WhiteRabbit]

oh wow! that's beautiful! the blooms, the water drops, your photo - fabulous!

[ronaldhanko]

Thanks, friend.

[RosieC]

This immediately reminded me of the 'Lady Orchid' a UK native (Orchis purpurea) and to some extent the 'Monkey Orchid' (Orchis simia). Actually what it reminded me of most was an article I saw about a natural hybrid having been found in the UK between Orchis purpurea and simia.

Anyway, I was surprised these ones in your pics were not the same genus. Then I noticed the Genus they are... Amerorchis... which is surely a concatenation of American Orchis. I could be wrong about that, but I would be surprised if Amerorchis is not closely related to Orchis, or maybe that's something everyone else knows except me They both have that little 'man' look to their flowers and I love them.

[lambelkip]

this species was originally classified as an Orchis species, but I believe it's more closely related to Dactylorhiza.

[RosieC]

Interesting, thanks Kip. It really does immediately remind me of Orchis purpurea so I can see why it was originally classified as an Orchis.

[ronaldhanko]

Kip is correct. This used to be classified as Orchis, but is now reclassified in a genus of its own due primarily to its distribution. Thanks, both of your, for commenting.