The narrow-leaved marsh orchid Dactylorhiza traunsteineri is one of the most difficult of the Suffolk marsh orchids to identify, and because of this its exact status in the county is not really known. One of the problems is that the species is very variable. Also it frequently hybridises with the southern marsh orchid Dactylorhiza praetermissa producing a bewildering variety of intermediates, so much so that there is some debate whether traunsteineri is a valid species or not.
The Orchids of Suffolk (Sanford) has a good summary of previous county records, and states that apart from the few records in the Waveney-Ouse valley the only credible record in east Suffolk is from Eastbridge in 1982. However, owing to the understandable identification problems with the species, traunsteineri is probably more common than these few records suggest. Norfolk still has traunsteineri at a number of locations, with A Flora of Norfolk (Beckett and Bull) listing 21 sites.
A small number of narrow-leaved marsh orchids have been identified recently at Carlton marshes where they favour the edges of reed beds, typically in the wetter parts of the reserve. As with most other orchid species numbers vary from year to year. In 2003 up to a dozen plants were present at this site.
Visitors to Carlton marshes should be aware that southern marsh orchids are also frequently encountered there and that this species is notoriously variable too with some approaching traunsteineri in appearance. However, true narrow-leaved marsh orchids are best identified by the narrow, grass-like leaves, their small size and the spread out flower spikes with relatively few flowers. The labellum shape is also quite distinctive with a strongly protruding central lobe.
In 2004 a couple of narrow-leaved marsh orchids were found at Barnby Broad, which is a private site only a short distance from Carlton marshes.
Thanks to Martin Sanford and Ian Denholm for confirming the identity of the Carlton marshes specimens.
Beckett, G. & Bull, A.L. 1999. A Flora of Norfolk, Gillian Beckett, Norwich.
Sanford, M.N. 1991. The Orchids of Suffolk. Suffolk Naturalists’ Society, Ipswich.
© 2005 Suffolk Naturalists' Society
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