Greater Butterfly Orchid growing wild on a highland heath in Inverness-shire. SCO 9088.
The two Butterfly Orchids (Lesser and Greater) are very alike and both are night scented. Different types of insect pollinate them so presumably they smell different although it is impossible for us to detect that. The safest way of telling the two orchids apart is to examine the pollinia - in the Lesser Butterfly-orchid the pollinia are vertical and in the Greater Butterfly-orchid they lean in towards each other at the tops. Both types of Butterfly Orchid can be found on heaths, on the edges of woodland and and on marshy ground.
Size: 2832px × 4256px
Location: Boat of Garten, Inverness-shire. Highland Region. Scotland. UK.
Photo credit: © David Gowans / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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