Gateshead Birder Home Page

Northern Marsh Orchid(Dactylorhiza purpurella), The orchids growing in Dunston, have been flowering for the last couple of weeks but the finder had not seen them before this year.
Identified on close inspection by the deep purple flowers with a flatish lower lip that is clearly marked with darker lines and blotches. The lip is rather broad and roughly diamond-shaped. This species can have has the darkest purple flowers of all the 'spotted' orchids and its leaves can be spotted or un-spotted. [Photo Caleb Leeke]

Sun Spurge (Euphorbia helioscopia), growing in a quarry at Clara Vale. An annual growing in cultivated and disturbed ground in gardens, on waste ground and in arable fields, particularly with root and leaf crops. It thrives on dry, well-drained, neutral to base-rich soils in sun-warmed situations. [Photo: Gordon Pollinger]


Common Spotted Orchids (Dactylorhiza fuchsii) The flowers are many shades of pink through to white. Often the same population of plants will have a range of flower colours. The lower lip of the flower is distinctly 3 lobed. The central lobe is longer than the lateral lobes but only half as wide. The lateral sepals are horizontal or bent down.Compare it to Gatesheads other common orchid, the Northern Marsh Orchid below left.[Photos Paul Davidson]


Field Pansy (Viola arvensis ) A widespread and common annual of arable land and cultivated ground generally. Commonest in E and S England ans uncommon in Gateshead. Has deeply toothed stipules. Flowers are 1015mm across and creamy white with orange flush on lower petal; appears AprilOctober. [Photo Gordon Pollinger]

Bitter Vetch(Lathyrus montanus) 15-50cm tall. Red-purple flowers turning to red-brown seed pods. A perennial herb of moist, infertile neutral and acidic soils in heathy meadows, lightly grazed pastures, grassy banks and open woodlands. Flowering: April to July . [Photo Gordon Pollinger]

Bluebell ( Hyacinthoides non-scripta) Gateshead has some wonderful Bluebell woods, particularly in the west and now (early-mid May) is the time to see them. A bulbous perennial herb occurring, sometimes abundantly, in a wide variety of deciduous woodlands, in hedgerows, on shady banks. Flowering: late April to late May . [Photo Gordon Pollinger]
Identification of Bluebell, Spanish Bluebell and their hybrid

	Native Bluebell	Hybrid Bluebell	Spanish Bluebell
Leaf-width	Fairly narrow, usually about 7-15mm but can be up to 20mm wide (about half an inch).	Usually broad, 10-30mm, and often quite variable on one plant.	Broad, usually about 20mm-35mm (about an inch).
Top of Flower stem	Droops or nods distinctly to one side.	Curves or nods slightly to one side.	Is stiff and upright.
Arrangement of Flowers	Almost all are on one side of stem, hanging down to one side.	Mostly all around the stem, but may droop to one side (especially at the top).	Usually all the way around the stem, flowers sticking out.
Colour of Flowers	Deep violet-blue.	Dark to pale blue (sometimes also white or pink).	Pale to mid blue (often also white or pink).
Flower shape	A narrow, straight-sided bell, with parallel sides.	Usually an open bell.	A wide open, almost cone-shaped bell.
Petal tips	Roll back on to the tube part.	Curl outwards or slightly upwards.	Flare outwards slightly.
Pollen colour on the anthers	Pale cream.	Usually pale blue.	Deep blue.
Flower scent	They have a quite strong sweet scent.	Only a slight scent.	Little or no scent at all.
Habitat	In old woodland and old hedgerows, and on moorland, under bracken or on sea cliffs.	In woods and hedgerows and on roadside verges, usually not far from houses; also in gardens and parks and on waste-ground.

Gateshead Birders