Gymnadenia conopsea, (L.) R. Br. ub Aiton, 1813, 1813

D. M. Moore (ed.), 1980, CCIII Orchidaceae, Flora Europaea, Vol 5: Alismataceae to Orchidaceae, Camebridge: Cambridge University Press, pp. 325-350 : 332

I. G. conopsea (L.) R. Br. in Aiton ,

Hort. Kew. ed. 2, 5: 191 (1813).

Tubers with 3-6 obtuse lobes. Stem 15-65 cm, erect, glabrous, with 2-3 brownish basal sheaths. Leaves 4-8, linear- lanceolate, denticulate, the lower 6-20(-25) cm, slightly con- duplicate and keeled, obtuse or subacute, the upper smaller, acuminate, bract-like. Spike (3—)6—16 cm, cylindrical, sometimes pyramidal at first, many-flowered. Flowers pinkish- or reddish- lilac, rarely purple or white, usually fragrant. Perianth-segments 4-5 mm, obtuse; outer oblong-ovate, patent or curved down­ wards, the median concave; inner broadly ovate. Labellum 3-5-5 mm, rhombic, the lobes subequal, rounded. Spur 11-18 mm, 1 1 /2-2 times as long as ovary, somewhat arcuate, acute, rarely obtuse. 2n = 40, 80, c. 97, c. 117, c. 119.

Grassland, marshes, fens and scrub; somewhat calcicole.

Most ofEurope except for parts of the south-west and south-east. Al Au Be Br Bu Cz Da Fe Ga Ge Gr Hb He Ho Hs Hu It Ju Lu No Po Rm Rs (N, B, C, W, K, E) Si Su.

Three subspecies have been recognized by J. Bisse, Feddes Repert. 67: 187-188 (1967), based primarily on material from Germany and utilizing leaf-width and -disposition, spike-density, diameter and odour of the flowers, and spur-width. It is uncertain whether the characters used are valid over the whole range of the species and further study is required.