Monkey orchid  (Orchis simia)

Classified as Vulnerable in Great Britain, and fully protected under Schedule 8 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (3).

The English name of this very rare orchid refers to the shape of the flowers, which resemble monkeys. The curled 'arms and legs' of the lip are long and thin and there is a stumpy 'tail' (1).

Known from two locations in Kent and two sites in Oxfordshire (1), the monkey orchid was fairly common in the Thames Valley about 150 years ago (4). The species is widespread throughout southern and western Europe, the Mediterranean and North Africa (5).

You can view distribution information for this species at the National Biodiversity Network Gateway.

Inhabits grassy areas and woodlands (6).

An unusual feature of this long-lived perennial(5) orchid is that the flowers at the top of the flower spike open before those further down, this gives the spike a flattened appearance rather than the typical spire shape, (4) although when in full bloom this can be difficult to detect (4). It can take about 7 years after germination for a plant to flower, leaves begin to appear in April, and flowering occurs from May to June. A single plant is known to have flowered every year for 19 years (5). Like all members of this genus, each plant has two oval tubers, which earned the genus the Greek name Orchis, which translates as 'testicle' (1).

Collecting, grazing by rabbits and the removal of turf have affected this species (4). A colony was discovered in 1974 amongst sand dunes at Spurn Peninsula Nature Reserve in South East Yorkshire. Unfortunately in 1983 a bad storm caused the area to be inundated with seawater and the colony died (4). DNA tests have demonstrated that this species has low genetic diversity, a feature which may cause this orchid to be vulnerable to natural change (7).

This orchid occurs on wardened nature reserves and private land managed by a local Wildlife Trust. At one site, flowering plants are protected from trampling and grazing by wire hats, which sit over the plant (8). Under Schedule 8 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act of 1981 it is illegal to uproot, cut, sell or destroy monkey orchids (3).

There may be further information about this species available via the National Biodiversity Network Gateway.

See: Marren, P. (1999) Britain's rare flowers. Poyser Natural History, London.