The Dense Flowered Orchid Neotinea Maculata (The Burren May 19th 2019) is another of the orchid anomalies of Ireland. Like the Irish Ladies Tresses mystery surrounds its occurrence on the island. However its stronghold The Burren is a wonder of the floral world – home to flowers found only in the Iberian Peninsula, the Arctic Circle and in the case the Dense Flowered Orchid the Mediterranean.
It is a tiny and hard to find species, with the flower spike being smaller than an ear of wheat and the overall plant measuring around 15cm tall. It flowers briefly – perhaps no longer than a week per plant but the flowering time can vary between late April and June. It favours damp mossy grass often amongst more ‘earthy’ limestone pavements and in the open. In Ireland the flowers self fertilise and so can go to seed quickly and almost without opening. However the flowers frequently do open although their size makes the difference minimal! Close examination will show a tiny flower reminiscent of the Man Orchid.