Orchis ustulata
Burnt Orchid
Species Details
The Burnt Orchid is a very rare native perennial of limestone grasslands. Formerly more widespread, though still very limited in range, this beautiful and distinctive orchid now grows in just three 1km squares in the White Peak (Brassington region, SK25). One site in the White Peak contained over 620 flowering spikes in May 2000, 290 on the same day in 2003, and 535 in 2004. It has been suggested that this site contains more plants than the whole of northern England put together.
A further site containing just 3 plants was discovered by R.Frost in 1986 on the Magnesian Limestone (Scarcliffe Park region, SK57). but has not been seen since 1994. Elsewhere, it grows very rarely throughout England, and is Nationally Scarce.
Note the maps shown here are only accurate to 5km.
This plant is in Category 2 of the local Red Data List, 2009.