The Lesser Butterfly Orchid

Keen eyed walkers and modern technology are combining to help save a rare jewel
of the Scottish landscape. Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) is asking people to
join the hundreds from all over Scotland who have already submitted records over
the internet for the lesser butterfly orchid, Platanthera bifolia. This
beautiful wild orchid with creamy white flowers with a short flowering season in
July has been reported from more than 260 sites over the past three years. 

In 2006 little was known about its exact whereabouts in Scotland, although it
was known to have declined significantly across the United Kingdom. The launch
of a special website by SNH with its partner organisations Plantlife Scotland,
the Botanical Society of the British Isles (BSBI) and the Royal Botanical
Gardens Edinburgh has helped gather information about the orchid’s ecology and
present distribution. 

SNH’s plant specialist Robin Payne said: “We’re grateful to all those who
have taken part in the survey and submitted records on the website so far. Now
that we know so much more about the lesser butterfly orchid we can take real,
well informed action that will protect and conserve this species. We’d still
like to know more about its distribution so if anyone does come across the plant
they can enter the detail of their findings on the SNH website
www.snh.org.uk/orchid2009/ .”

Lesser butterfly orchids grow on the edges of moorland or in damp grassland,
often along the edge of ditches or even on roadside verges. The slender white
flowers appear from early June through to mid-July. Surveys in recent years have
revealed the flower has declined, leaving the West of Scotland as the remaining
stronghold in the UK. 

The orchid can still be spotted in a wide variety of habitats, particularly in
wet heath, bog, woodland edge, wet meadows, dunes, machair and the occasional
golf course. Some good sites have also been found in the East of Scotland and
four of the best Scottish sites had over 1000 flowering plants.

The Lesser Butterfly Orchid is one of 32 species listed for conservation under
Scotland’s Species Action Framework and is a UK Biodiversity Action Plan
species. 

Jim McIntosh, BSBI Scottish Officer said:
“The short flowering season of the orchid and the general scarcity of
botanical experts mean we would struggle to achieve widespread coverage of the
areas where we would expect to find it. The website makes it possible for people
across the country to help by responding to this appeal and submitting their
records.”

Liz Lavery, who analyses the results each year for SNH, said: “The more
records we receive the better picture we have of its spread across Scotland and
records for 2009 from known sites, reported to us in previous years, means we
are able to see any changes in populations over the past twelve months.”

Please send any records of the orchid for the survey through the website at
www.snh.org.uk/orchid2009/   

Or write to Lesser Butterfly Orchid Survey, SNH, Battleby, Redgorton, Perth PH1
3EW.