THE discovery of wild orchids on the West Devon Drive has spurred the desire for a floral survey to uncover some more gems on the picturesque route.

The flowers ? which have been identified as Southern Marsh Orchids ? grabbed the attention of local countryside enthusiast Rex Haythornthwaite from Bridestowe as he was driving along the road recently.

?I am not a botanist so I had to go home and refer to my books,? said Mr Haythornthwaite. ?There were about 50 of these relatively late flowering orchids. They may or may not be rare, but in my opinion any orchids growing in the wild are quite special.?

The company set up to look after the verges of the West Devon Drive ?Devon?s Westcountry Management? are now keen to find a wildflower expert who can volunteer some time to conduct a survey.

Company member Bob Westlake said environmentalists from Devon County Council had been involved in enhancing the road in terms of landscaping and trees but no study of flora had ever taken place.

?If there is a botanist out there who would like to become involved we would love to hear from them,? said Mr Westlake. ?Who knows what other rarieties may be growing on the Drive??

More than £200,000 has been spent on improving the verges of the old A30 12-mile stretch from Sourton Cross to Lifton, renamed as West Devon Drive, five years ago.

It is now recognised as the scenic alternative to the A30 and promoters are encouraging tourists to use it and the businesses along its route, such as B&Bs.

A spokeswoman for Devon Wildlife Trust said Southern Marsh Orchids were not that uncommon in the county but were definitely interesting.

?We do get reports of this type of orchid growing on verges and in damp areas and it is always a pleasure to see,? she said. ??It flowers from about June to August and grows in meadow areas or environments which have not been altered for a long time.?

Devon Wildlife Trust will record sites of floral interest if you submit information through the website: http://www.devonwildlifetrust.org">www.devonwildlifetrust.org

Anyone who is interested in volunteering their services can contact Bob Westlake on 01566 783397.