Early Purple Orchid (Orchis mascula) (07/05/2021) Horton Wood, Small Dole, Henfield, W Sussex. The only orchid that flowers this early.

Early Purple Orchid (Orchis mascula) (07/05/2021) Horton Wood, Small Dole, Henfield, W Sussex. Makro shot of a flower from the previous specimen.

Early Purple Orchid (Orchis mascula) (07/05/2021) Horton Wood, Small Dole, Henfield, W Sussex. Underneath the hood are the reproducive parts.

Tottington Wood, Small Dole, Henfield, W Sussex. Classic rather messy flowers with dark blotches on the lower lip.

Early Purple Orchid (Orchis mascula) (18/04/2022) Tottington Wood, Small Dole, Henfield, W Sussex. Classic rather messy flowers with dark blotches on the lower lip.

Early Purple Orchid (Orchis mascula) (18/04/2022) Tottington Wood, Small Dole, Henfield, W Sussex. The spurs.

Horton Wood, Small Dole, Henfield, W Sussex. A paler flower - not sure but I think I can see an anther or two under the hood.

Early Purple Orchid (Orchis mascula) (07/05/2021) Horton Wood, Small Dole, Henfield, W Sussex. A paler flower - not sure but I think I can see an anther or two under the hood.

Tottington Wood, Small Dole, Henfield, W Sussex. They come in a variety of colours and can even be white. A deeper coloured one here.

Early Purple Orchid (Orchis mascula) (18/04/2022) Tottington Wood, Small Dole, Henfield, W Sussex. They come in a variety of colours and can even be white. A deeper coloured one here.

Early Purple Orchid (Orchis mascula) (18/04/2022) Tottington Wood, Small Dole, Henfield, W Sussex. A really deeply coloured specimen.

Early Purple Orchid (Orchis mascula) (18/04/2022) Tottington Wood, Small Dole, Henfield, W Sussex. Side view of flower from previous specimen.

Horton Wood, Small Dole, Henfield, W Sussex. This is a paler form which do exist and can even be whte. The denseness of the flower spike can vary too - in woodland settings they can be quite widely spaced, as here.

Early Purple Orchid (Orchis mascula) (09/05/2020) Horton Wood, Small Dole, Henfield, W Sussex. This is a paler form which do exist and can even be whte. The denseness of the flower spike can vary too - in woodland settings they can be quite widely spaced, as here.

Horton Wood, Small Dole, Henfield, W Sussex. The specimens in the previous image are this rather paler shade of pink, which is allowed.

Early Purple Orchid (Orchis mascula) (08/05/2022) Horton Wood, Small Dole, Henfield, W Sussex. The specimens in the previous image are this rather paler shade of pink, which is allowed.

Early Purple Orchid (Orchis mascula) (27/04/2020) Horton Wood, Small Dole, Henfield, W Sussex. The giss of the plant.

Early Purple Orchid (Orchis mascula) (27/04/2020) Horton Wood, Small Dole, Henfield, W Sussex. Amongst the bluebells in the background.

Early Purple Orchid (Orchis mascula) (27/04/2020) Horton Wood, Small Dole, Henfield, W Sussex. Another slightly paler one in a looser flower spike.

Early Purple Orchid (Orchis mascula) (18/04/2022) Tottington Wood, Small Dole, Henfield, W Sussex. This one a denser array of flowers.

Horton Wood, Small Dole, Henfield, W Sussex. A mass of them amidst some ageing bluebells - some more deeply coloured than others.

Early Purple Orchid (Orchis mascula) (08/05/2022) Horton Wood, Small Dole, Henfield, W Sussex. A mass of them amidst some ageing bluebells - some more deeply coloured than others.

Early Purple Orchid (Orchis mascula) (27/04/2020) Horton Wood, Small Dole, Henfield. The blotched leaves.

Early Purple Orchid (Orchis mascula) (27/04/2020) Horton Wood, Small Dole, Henfield.

Early Purple Orchid (Orchis mascula) (07/05/2021) Horton Wood, Small Dole, Henfield. This one doesn't have spotted leaves - this is occasionally the case.

Early Purple Orchid (Orchis mascula) (18/04/2022) Tottington Wood, Small Dole, Henfield, W Sussex.