A specimen photographed in Monkton Nature Reserve in summer 1997.

The occurrence of the Tongue Orchid can probably be traced to a local grower, living some 300m from the nature reserve.  This lady brought a number of specimens over from Spain many years ago and has maintained a colony of plants in pots on her patio. These plants have flowered regularly and are up-wind in the direction of the prevailing wind, so it can be assumed that the seed stock has come from this source.