Andrew Chick Ecology

The Lizard Orchid Himantoglossum hircinum is one of Britain’s most distinctive and impressive orchids. A tall, robust plant, it can reach around a metre in height and bears a long spike of greenish-purple flowers. Its name comes from the extraordinary long, twisted central lip of each flower, which resembles a lizard’s tail. The flowers also have a characteristic strong, rather unpleasant scent.

In Britain, Lizard Orchid is a scarce and very localised species, occurring mainly in southern and eastern England, particularly on dry, open, calcareous grassland, dunes and other sparsely vegetated chalky or sandy ground. Plants generally flower during June and July, although numbers can fluctuate considerably between years.

The species lies close to the northern edge of its European range in Britain. Historically very rare and vulnerable to habitat loss, it has increased and expanded its range in recent decades, a change thought to be associated partly with warmer climatic conditions. Despite this expansion, it remains a striking and much sought-after plant wherever it occurs.