Native French Orchids

[kavanaru]

In May this year I went to spend some days in the French Alps. I was surprised to see so many orchids. Literally, there were thousands of plants blooming at thattime. Mainly the four species shown here, but I could identify also at least 5 other species growing and in buds (including Cypripedium calceolus

Orchis mascula


Orchis purpurea


Dactylorhiza fuchsii (considered as sub-species of Dactylorhiza maculata)


Dactylorhiza sambucina (both yellow and purple forms are found within the same population all the time)