Princess of the fens
Text: Toivo Tuberik
Photo: Mats Kangur
Translation: Liis
Fen orchid |
This little beauty lives only in fens, and from there it also gets its name – fen orchid.
The small, only 10-15 cm tall orchid is clever at hiding itself among the yellowsedge (Carex lepidocarpa) and large yellowsedge (Carex flava) flowerheads. When the first orchid fen has been discovered and filed on one’s “hard disk”, it is easier - but never easy - to find the next one.
The fen orchid is very dependent on the weather and the water levels that this produces in its habitat. So it isn’t there to find every year.
From this point of view the year has been good, and at least in Mahtra marsh the search can end with a happy smile.
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