The Orchid In Britain

In most people’s minds the term "orchid" portrays a vision of a large exotic flower entirely dependant upon the excesses of temperature and humidity of the tropical rain forest for survival and growth. It may surprise many people, therefore, that nearly fifty species belonging to the orchid family grow in the British Isles in almost every recognised type of habitat. It is true to say that many of the species are rarities, but at the other end of the scale, several orchids are widely distributed and in favoured localities are commonplace.

In perfumery, traditional "orchid" fragrances are formulated using esters of salicylic acid, notably iso Butyl, Amyl and Phenyl Ethyl Salicylates. A floral coeur can be compounded using these salicylates with Methyl Ionone and combinations of the rose alcohols. Typical fixatives for a coeur of this nature include Benzoin, Vanillin, Coumarin and Oakmoss. Benzyl Acetate, Oil of Ylang, Oil of Bergamot and Oil of Galbanum are all used as topnotes.

Commercially, the most important member of the orchid family is Vanilla planifolia and related species, the pods of which are used in vanilla production.

The fragrance variation of orchid plants is extremely diverse. Amongst our native British orchids the Frog Orchid has a faint honey-like smell, the Man Orchid a sweet aroma due to Coumarin in the leaves and the Early Purple Orchid an Elderflower-like scent. The Fragrant Orchid, which, like many of the British orchids, favours chalk and limestone downland, varies in fragrance with locality. Changing emphasis in Honeysuckle, Lilac, Lily of the Valley, Carnation and Hyacinth tones can be noted in this attractive plant which produces a spike of pink to purplish flowers six to twelve inches in height from June through till August.

Although diminutive in size compared with their tropical counterparts, British orchids lack little in terms of flower colour, shape and diversity. Orchid flowers are characterised by the development of one petal of the perianth. This petal, one of the inner whorl of three, is called the labellum or lip. It is the specialisation of the labellum that produces such variety in the orchid flower. The degree of specialisation ranges from ornate lobes of the Common Spotted Orchid to the total mimicry of the Bee Orchid. The labellum of the Bee Orchid closely resembles a large bee. Indeed, the specialisation of the labellum into diverse colours and shapes has led to such descriptive common names as Fly Orchid, Early Spider Orchid, Lady’s Slipper Orchid, Butterfly Orchid and Monkey Orchid.

The biology of the orchid is quite specific and obviously contributes to the rarity of some species in the British Isles. Orchid seeds will only mature upon the formation of a mycorhiza - an association between the seedling root and a fungus, usually of the genus Rhizoctonia. The seedling then develops as an underground stem (a mycorhizome) producing an aerial shoot after a period of between two and eight years. It may be ten years before this plant produces a flower - fifteen in the case of the Common Twayblade. Although the plants of some British Orchids flower for several years, sadly some species like the Bee Orchid die after one flowering season.

No wonder then, that our native orchids remain a source of interest and reward to all those whose imagination has been captivated by this fascinating group of plants.