Gironès Orchid Sightings: Platanthera bifolia

Following lunch, our field exploration led us to a new location within the Gironès region. While our primary objective for this visit was to observe Serapias perez-chiscanoi, the highlight of our findings turned out to be several specimens of the Lesser Butterfly-orchid, Platanthera bifolia, already in bloom.

These delicate terrestrial orchids displayed their characteristic cylindrical floral spikes, adorned with numerous white to greenish-white flowers. Their distinctive two large basal leaves were clearly visible at the base of the stems, a key feature for identification. The presence of these Platanthera bifolia in flower aligns perfectly with their typical summer blooming period, and they were found thriving in an environment consistent with their preferred habitats, such as woodland clearings or open meadows. This observation provides valuable insight into the local flora of the Gironès, highlighting the presence of this species.