Conservation status: C
First record: Ray, 1660 Last record: A Jenyns, 1975
Martyn,1727,101.
Ophrys insectifera O. muscifera Found in meadows and pastures on a chalky soil, but not very common. It is most plentiful in Kent and Cambridgeshire,..Smith,Eng.Bot. (1790) 1:64.
24
Ophrys muscifera In a field near Steeple Morden. Britten,1859.
Ophrys muscifera Copses at Steeple Morden. Fordham,1859.
Steeple Morden, DB, Bab.1860,228 & Bab.MS.Fl.721.
25
Buff Wood, Mr Warner, c.1956.
35
Eversden Wood, RJ Bunch, 27.5.1833, LTR.
Eversden Wood, JH Bullock, 1887. Bab.ann.
44
Ophrys muscifera ..rare plant in... Whittlesford.. .On the 3rd of July 1890 I was visiting my native place and learned with pleasure that my cousin Albert Maynard had found... growing in a little wooded place not far from his residence called Shead's Spinney by the side of Wipperty Road. It was found sometime in June. [Henslow found it at Shelford] And the Miss Thurnalls of Duxford... found it growing in a wooded place by the Brewery beside the Duxford Road. [also found at... Pampisford] etc. Ophrys muscifera Specimen: 'This specimen from Whittlesford 1890.' Maynard MS.14:74,75,CRO.
Whippletree Road near Ophioglossum meadow, Whittlesford, 'Gnat Orchid' which Mr Drury's wife picked every year, before 1958. G Crompton.
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HINTON
Orchis myodes Flie Orchies.... in the closes about Hinton... It occurs but rarely, and not more than two or three flowers can be found in the same place. Ray,1660,106(89).
Orchis myodes. Hinton or Cherry Hinton, In the lanes and Closes. Ray,Index Loc.
Orchis myodes. Hinton JM.ann.Index Loc.
Ophrys muscifera. Cherry–Hinton. In the lanes and closes. Martyn,1763,Herbat.VIII.
C(herry) H(inton) Fisher ann. Berkenhout,251.
Hinton. Relhan,1785;1802;1820.
Hinton; JF[isher]. Bab.1860,228 & Bab.MS.Fl.721.
SHELFORD
Shelford. Henslow ann. 2:365.
Thickets, Shelford Common, W.L.P.G., 1.6.1830, SWN.
Shelford; Henslow. Bab.1860,228 & Bab.MS.Fl.721.
HARSTON
Plantation by the Harston station. Wanton. Bab.ann.Relhan,365.
Plantation by railway station, Harston; SW Wanton. Bab.1860,228 & Bab.MS.Fl.721.
Harlton. [sic] Bab.1860,228 & Bab.MS.Fl.721.
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HORNINGSEA
Horningsea. Henslow ann. 2:365.
Horningsea, JS Henslow, 1.6.1833, CGE.
Hornsea Fen, [Horningsea] Mr Power, 7.1833, SWN.
Plantation near Bigwin Abbey. Bab.ann.Relhan,365.
Plantation by road near Biggin Abbey, which was grubbed up in 1859. Bab.1860,228 & Bab.MS.Fl.721.
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LINTON
Grove between Linton & Hadstock woods, 31 May 1790, Rev C Davy, IPS.
Linton. Relhan,1785;1802;1820.
Linton. Henslow ann. 2:365.
In Linton wood. Spurgin & Clarke, Walden Fl. 1832. SWN.
Linton, J Sharp, 23.5.1833, Huntly Hb.,ABO.
Linton, CC Babington, 23.5.1833, CGE.
Near Linton, J Cundill Esq, 23.5.1833, CGE.
Linton. Bab.1860,228 & Bab.MS.Fl.721.
BALSHAM
Balsham, Mr Vernon, Bab.ann.
55
TEVERSHAM
Orchis myodes Flie Orchies.... and in the closes about... Teversham. It occurs but rarely, and not more than two or three flowers can be found in the same place. Ray,1660,106(89).
Orchis myodes Flie–Orchis. In a close next to Teversham–moor,... Ray,1670:225.
Orchis myodes galea & alis herbidis The common Fly–Orchis. In Anglia invenitur, sed sparsim & rarius. Nos in Cantabrigiensi agro,... observavimus; viz.... in pratulo quodam ad sylvum marisco Teversham–Moor dicto adjacentem in Comitatu Cantabridgiensi,..Ray,1690,171; Ray,1696,297–8; Ray,1724,379.
In a woody Close in Teversham Grainge plentifully. JM.ann.
Orchis myodes. Teversham JM.ann.Index Loc.
Orchis myodes, galea & alis herbidis. Fly–Orchis... and in a close nigh Teversham, called Gains. Martyn,1732,2:141.
Teversham Th.M.ann.Meth.–Index Loc.(f.)5.
Teversham. Martyn,1763,Herbat.VIII.
Teversham. In a meadow by a wood adjoining to the moor. Martyn,1763,Herbat.VIII.
Meadow by the Wood joining T(eversham) M(oor) Fisher ann. Berkenhout,251.
Teversham. Relhan,1785;1802.
Gathered in Teversham wood near Cambridge, 6.1803, Rev Leathes, IPS.
Teversham. Relhan. 1820.
Teversham; Relhan. Bab.1860,228 & Bab.MS.Fl.721.
FULBOURN
Fulbourn. Relhan,1785;1802;1820.
Fulbourn. Bab.ann.Relhan,365.
Newbould, Hiley, Stratton, and I went by train to Fulbourn; then botanized in the spinney between the railway and the Wilbraham road, where we found Ophrys apifera and muscifera; 11.6.1858. Bab.Mem.189.
Went with Dr and Mrs Cookson to the thickets by the brook near Fulbourn, and saw a tolerable abundance of Fly Orchis; 22.5.1860. Bab.Mem.195.
Thickets near the brook at Fulbourn. Bab.1860,228 & Bab.MS.Fl.721.
Thickets by brook, Fulbourn, A Shrubbs, 7.1876, CGE.
Thickets by the brook nr the R.Station, Fulbourne, A Shrubbs, 6.1878, CGE.
Brook near station, Fulbourn, A Shrubbs, 1878, CGE. [now grubbed up by the plough 1884 Shrubbs ann.]
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BOTTISHAM
Bottisham. May 13. 1822. Jenyns ann.Relhan,1802.
Bottisham, L.J., 23.5.1822 (2 specs), BATHG.
Bottisham, L Jenyns, 26.5.1822, CGE.
In the Spring of 1822, I discovered the Fly–orchis growing abundantly in the plantations at the back of the garden. The trees had been very much thinned, and the underwood cleared away in the early part of the same year, and I attributed the appearance of the Ophrys muscifera to this circumstance, thinking it probable that the reason why I had never observed it before was because the plants had been choked up and smothered by the briars and other brushwood; and therefore could not spring up till these impediments were removed, & light and air admitted. The specimens that year were very fine and luxurious. Last year they were very inferior, scarcely bearing more than two or three flowers on one stem: they were also much diminished in quantity. They seemed to have been already influenced by the underwood springing up again. This season has entirely confirmed me in my opinion, that they are regulated by this cause: the underwood and shrubs have now had two years growth, since they were cut down, and I have not been able to find more than half a dozen specimens of the Ophrys Muscifera, some of which have never flowered, and none have ever exceeded a few inches in height... Jenyns,JNH,1.6.1824.
Plentiful in a plantation at the back of the garden of Bottisham Hall, L.J. Bab.ann.
Ophrys muscifera In plenty in the plantations at the back of the garden at Bottisham Hall, Jenyns,1860.
Plentiful in a plantation at the back of the garden of Bottisham Hall; L.J. Bab.ann.
Bottisham!; Henslow. Bab.1860,228 & Bab.MS.Fl.721.
Bottisham. Henslow ann. 2:365.
Bottisham Hall, lawn beyond kitchen garden wall, where daffodils are naturalized, Soame & Ann Jenyns June 1953.
Bottisham Hall, Soame & Ann Jenyns, 1957.
8 plants, Bottisham Hall, Soame & Ann Jenyns, PD Sell, G Crompton, 12.6.1973.
Bottisham Hall, Soame & Ann Jenyns, 1975.
SWAFFHAM PRIOR
Swaffham Prior, CC Babington, 2.6.1829, CGE.
Swaffham Prior, J Downes, 26.5.1830, CGE.
Swaffham J.D., 6.6.1830, NTM.
Swaffham Prior. Bab.1860,228 & Bab.MS.Fl.721.
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Langley Wood. Relhan,1802;1820.
65
STETCHWORTH
Wauton, [sic] Stratton, and I went to Dullingham Station, then to the Devil's Ditch, along which weouthern end, where in the last field we found Ophrys muscifera in plenty,... 2.6.1852. Bab.Mem.163.
Stetchworth, CC Babington, 2.6.1852, CGE.
Devil's Ditch in field by at [sic] southern end. Bab.ann.Relhan,365.
In a field by the southern end of the Devil's Ditch at Stetchworth. Bab.1860,228 & Bab.MS.Fl.721.
HALL WOOD
Stratton and I went to West Wratting. Took a walk through the fields towards Weston Colville. In Hall Wood we found the fly Orchis, and several others. 2.6.1857. Bab.Mem.185.
Hall Wood, West Wratting, CC Babington, 2.6.1857, CGE.
Hall Wood, West Wratting. Bab.1860,228 & Bab.MS.Fl.721.
West Wratting, CE Moss, 6.1909, CGE.
WESTON COLVILLE
Hill Crofts, Weston Colville, Bushy field NW of wood 15–20 yards from NE edge
way towards NW end 4 seen 21.6.1928, Mills ann.BRINKLEY WOOD
Brinkley Wood, 615.555, via Mr Halford, Brinkley School, June 1955, CGE.
DITTON PARK WOOD
1 specimen (Photo KR Sporne) among bracken on chalky boulder clay, Ditton Park Wood, Bot. Sec. Exc. & DE Coombe, May, 1952.
One flowering plant among Pteridium, Endymion, Holcus mollis, Mercurialis etc. towards the NE end of the cleared strip (marked on the 1" O.S. map) in Ditton Park Wood, 24.5.1952: found by someone on the CNHS Bot. Sec. annual excursion: photo by K Sporne, 669.573. DE Coombe, Card index.
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DEVIL'S DITCH
Orchis myodes Flie Orchies. On the banks of the Devils ditch,... It occurs but rarely, and not more than two or three flowers can be found in the same place. Ray,1660,106(89).
Newmarket On the bank of the great Ditch called Devils ditch. Ray,Index Loc.
and on the banks of the Devils ditch, near Newmarket: Ray,1670:225.
Orchis myodes galea & alis herbidis The common Fly–Orchis. In Anglia invenitur, sed sparsim & rarius. Nos in Cantabrigiensi agro,..observavimus; viz. in aggere fossae illius famosae the Divils ditch dictae,... Ray,1690,171; Ray,1696,297–8; Ray,1724,379.
Orchis myodes, galea & alis herbidis. Fly–Orchis. On the banks of the Devil's–Ditch,... Martyn,1732,2:141.
Newmarket. In and about the Devil's Ditch. Martyn,1763,Herbat.IX.
D(evils) D(itch) Fisher ann. Berkenhout,251.
Ophrys muscifera Devil's Ditch. Relhan,1785;1802;1820.
Devil's Ditch, CC Babington, 6.1829, CGE.
Devil's Ditch. W Stables, sp. [in Hb Watson] NBG,1835,153.
CHIPPENHAM
[Orchis myodes] Found at Chippenham by Mr Ch. Miller May 1761. Th.M.ann.Meth.101.
Chippenham. Found here by Mr C Miller. Martyn,1763,Herbat.IX.
Ophry muscifera Chippenham Meadow Fisher ann. Berkenhout,251.
Chippenham. Relhan,1785;1802;1820.
Chippenham: Relhan. Bab.1860,228 & Bab.MS.Fl.721.
