Cephalanthera longifolia
Narrow-leaved Helleborine

Cephalanthera longifolia
©Trevor Dines /Plantlife

An orchid with long narrow leaves and oval white flowers towards the top of the stem.

It usually grows in open woods or wood margins on chalky soils in the milder parts of Britain.

It has declined a great deal in the last 30 years, probably due to neglect of woods leading to the disappearance of glades, the thickening of tree cover and the advent of coarse, smothering vegetation. Inappropriate woodland management can also be damaging however, as plants can dry up as a result of too much light.

Populations can now be found at about 80 sites, but almost half of these have only two or three plants and are not likely to survive much longer. The present sites are mostly in the west of Scotland and in Hampshire, where the threats to its future are similar to the factors that caused its decline.

Classified as Vulnerable and is therefore considered to be facing a high risk of extinction in the wild.