An extremely rare orchid has been spotted growing in Borth bog.

A small colony of the creamy white flower spikes, known as Irish Lady’s-Tresses, have been found on Cors Fochno, an internationally renowned raised peat bog between Borth and the Dyfi Estuary, and part of the Dyfi National Nature Reserve.

The discovery was made at the end of July by Justin Lyons, a National Resources Wales staff member, as he was checking on the Welsh mountain ponies that are used to graze the marshy fields around the raised bog.

There are no other recorded sightings of the flower in England and Wales.

Mike Bailey, NRW senior officer – land management, said: “Wild orchids are well known for long-distance dispersal and unpredictable flowering. They have a short flowering period from mid-July to August, and flowering doesn’t occur every year, so this is an astonishing find.

“Although widespread in north America, in Europe the orchid is confined to a small number of sites in north-west Scotland and Ireland. It has disappeared from its only known English site in Devon and has declined elsewhere.”

Based on genetic studies experts believe that the species may have colonised Ireland from the dust-like seeds blown across the Atlantic, so windblown seed may account for the orchid now appearing in Ceredigion.

See this week’s south papers for the full story, available in shops and as a digital edition now