Wild Orchids of Britain
A treasure for all lovers of wild plants – Wild Orchids of Britain provides a detailed account of all our orchid species, varieties and hybrids, and has a useful key to identification. This edition is exclusive to newnaturalists.comNow published in ebook format, with a complete set of new distribution maps from the Atlas of the British Flora, this beautiful book remains the standard work in its subject, a treasure for all lovers of wild plants. Dr. Dummerhayes, in charge of the orchid collection at Kew from 1924 to 1964, looks at our fifty-odd species in relation to the vast orchid family throughout the world, discusses their general biology and natural history in Britain, gives a detailed account of all our orchid species, varieties and hybrids, and provides a useful key to identification.The colour photographs represent every known British species with the exception of Orchis cruenta and O. occidentalis.
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Collins New Naturalist Library
19
Wild Orchids of Britain
V. S. Summerhayes
JAMES FISHER M.A.
JOHN GILMOUR M.A. JULIAN HUXLEY M.A. D.Sc. F.R.S. L. DUDLEY STAMP C.B.E. B.A. D.Sc.
PHOTOGRAPHIC EDITOR:
ERIC HOSKING F.R.P.S.
The aim of this series is to interest the general reader in the wild life of Britain by recapturing the inquiring spirit of the old naturalists. The Editors believe that the natural pride of the British public in the native fauna and flora, to which must be added concern for their conservation, is best fostered by maintaining a high standard of accuracy combined with clarity of exposition in presenting the results of modern scientific research. The plants and animals are described in relation to their homes and habitats and are portrayed in the full beauty of their natural colours, by the latest methods of colour photography and reproduction
To the memory of JOHN LINDLEY The father of Orchidology
Table of Contents
CHAPTER 1 THE LIFE HISTORY OF THE ORCHID PLANT
CHAPTER 2 THE ORCHID FLOWER
CHAPTER 3 POLLINATION AND FERTILISATION
CHAPTER 4 DISTRIBUTION, GEOGRAPHICAL AND ECOLOGICAL
CHAPTER 5 CLASSIFICATION
CHAPTER 6 THE LADYâS SLIPPER
CHAPTER 7 THE HELLEBORINES
CHAPTER 8 TWAYBLADES
CHAPTER 9 THE LADIESâ TRESSES
CHAPTER 10 SAPROPHYTIC ORCHIDS
CHAPTER 11 THE HABENARIA GROUP
CHAPTER 12 ORCHIS RELATIVES
CHAPTER 13 ORCHIS PROPER
CHAPTER 14 THE SPOTTED ORCHIDS
CHAPTER 15 THE MARSH ORCHIDS
CHAPTER 16 THE BEE ORCHID AND ITS ALLIES
CHAPTER 17 BOG ORCHIDS
CHAPTER 18 WHAT OF THE FUTURE?
APPENDIX ARTIFICIAL KEY FOR THE DETERMINATION OF SPECIES OF BRITISH ORCHIDS
IF COMPETITIONS were to be held for the most beautiful and for the most biologically interesting of our native wild flowers, the orchids would stand a good chance of first place in both contests. What other group can combine the almost legendary loveliness and rarity of the ladyâs slipper orchid, the grotesque fascination of the pseudo-copulatory pollination-mechanism of the fly orchid and its allies, and the baffling complexity of variation and distribution of the palmate orchids? It is not surprising, therefore, that the orchids have always been a favourite family for collection and study by British botanists. A number of earlier books have been written about them, culminating in Colonel Godferyâs lavish monograph published in 1933; but so much intensive work has been carried out during the last twenty years, especially on the spotted and marsh orchids and on the helleborines, that a new treatment is badly wanted. Apart, however, from incorporating these recent researches, the present volume approaches our orchids from a wider and less parochial view-point than did the earlier books. The author, Mr. V. S. Summerhayes, is in charge of the unrivalled orchid collections at the Kew Herbarium and he is able, therefore, to look at our fifty odd species in relation to his knowledge of this vast family as it occurs throughout the world. He has attempted, successfully we think, to cover not only the general biology and natural history of the family in Britain, but also a detailed account of our species, varieties and hybrids, including a key for their identification and maps of their distribution. Not every orchid specialistâand there are quite a number in Britain at the momentâwill agree with Mr. Summerhayes on all the various controversial points of classification with which he has to deal, but his book will, undoubtedly, remain a standard work for many years to come, serving as an introduction and guide to a group of plants which will never lose its unique appeal to students of the British Flora.
A word must be added about the colour photographs, representing every British species except Orchis cruenta, discovered in Ireland too late for inclusion, and Orchis occidentalis .The great majority have been taken in their natural British habitats by Mr. Robert Atkinson, and they not only form a series of outstanding beauty but will be of great help in identification by supplementing Mr. Summerhayesâ descriptions and key.
THE EDITORS
IN SPITE of the evident popularity of our British orchids among wide sections of the community, few comprehensive accounts of this interesting group of plants have been written. The most notable is Colonel M. J. Godferyâs monumental work Monograph and Iconograph of native British Orchidaceae published in 1933. Unfortunately only a limited edition was produced, while the high price put the book beyond the reach of most people. The present book is an effort to produce in a more convenient form an account of our orchids, especially as regards their general manner of life and their place in the flora and vegetation of these islands.
It was with some misgivings that I undertook this task, as I was not certain whether the subject-matter would be adequate to fill a volume of the size envisaged. In the event, however, the difficulty has been to keep the account within the required limits. In some parts of the subject, for example mycorhiza, there is such a tremendous literature, expressing such varied points of view, that it is quite impossible in the space available to discuss, even superficially, the merits and demerits of the different view-points. It has, therefore, been necessary to present as a definite explanation what is felt to be the most satisfactory interpretation of the facts. But science is never static, and the discovery of fresh data may at any time necessitate a profound modification of the views set forward here.
