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."
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/