name refers to this Dutch connection.
Originally this species was thought to occur only on the continental side of the English Channel but more
recent studies by messrs Lewis, Clark and Spencer established that as had been suspected for some years, it was in fact present in the dunes at Kenfig and Margam in South Wales. The Epipactis species
of this area have been the subject of a great deal of work and more results are awaited, not least the
true status of the 1941 described E. cambrensis.
E. neerlandica is an orchid of open sand dunes and as can be seen from the pictures, is subject to some considerable variation. In general terms it can be differentiated from E. helleborine in four key ways:- 1. The leaves are crowded alternately at the bottom of the stem. 2. These leaves are upward pointing rather than held horizontally as in E. helleborine. 3. The stem is covered with soft hair. 4. The individual flowers comprising the inflorescence are often tightly packed.
This is a sturdy species and although its close relative E. helleborine can occasionally be found growing
in open situations, its unlikely that the two would be confused. Interestingly however it has been noted
that where E. neerlandica has encroached on more typical E. helleborine habitat in shade or vice versa,
the differentiating characteristics outined above become less obvious. It would seem that a plants growing position (light avaliability) in the dune system is to some degree influential.
The pictures here all come from Kenfig and the final photograph depicts a small plant that was originally
thought to be a form of the now defunct E. youngiana .
