Flower ID please. Solved Orchis Collina

[alcor]

I found these orchids? in a field near Berja this week. Have looked through   orchid gallery and the nearest is the early purple orchid. What do you think?
Eddie

[lisa]

Hi Eddie, try Orchis morio, the Green-winged orchid. It can have the white patch in the centre (as well as the green stripes on the "wings") which leads some to call it ssp. champagneuxii but according to Flora Ibérica, it's the same species.
It seems very early to me but it's a different world down there 

[alcor]

Hello Lisa
Thank you for replying to my post. I had a look at orchis morio and its variations and I'm not entirely convinced. But, trawling through various sites that they were on, I came
across orchis collina. I've added a link below (at least I think I have) which might help. On the home page the species are listed in the left hand column. I don't know anything about them, I am going on looks alone. Let me know what you think.

http://www.habitas.org.uk/europeanorchids/index.html

[lisa]

I think you're right Eddie. The lower lobe on Orchis collina is broader with a darker edge and the spur is shorter than on morio. Also Flora Ibérica say the upper leaves resemble the bracts. Here's an image from Fotonatura where the author says they flower Jan - Feb. in Alicante. Perhaps Andres will come along to confirm.

[mick]

Hi Lisa and Eddie.

The shots are with out any doubt Orchis Collina. A common species down here in Granada Province.

Mick

[alcor]

Thanks Lisa for pointing me in the right direction, and thanks Mick for confirmation of ID.
Eddie

[Andres]

No doubt it's Orchis collina.

Regards.