Frog Orchid Dactylorhiza viridis
The Frog Orchid (Dactylorhiza viridis, formerly Coeloglossum viride) is a small, inconspicuous orchid of short, unimproved calcareous grassland, its greenish-brown flowers making it genuinely difficult to spot. It has declined significantly across Britain and is now a rare find in most counties. In Suffolk, it is associated with chalk grassland and unimproved downland turf, with records largely confined to a small number of sites on or near the chalk in the west of the county. It is sensitive to both agricultural improvement and scrub encroachment, and requires closely grazed, open turf to thrive. Image: © Simon Tesar, iNaturalist.
Find out more: iNaturalist, Plantlife, Online Atlas of the British and Irish Flora
Suffolk’s Priority Fern and Flowering Plant Species
Key
Listed as a conservation priority in Suffolk’s Biodiversity Action Plan.
Closely associated with Suffolk’s landscape and natural identity.
Identified as a key priority for recovery under Suffolk’s Local Nature Recovery Strategy.
Has a Species of the Month article attached.
