Cephalanthera L. C. M. Richard, 1818

D. M. Moore (ed.), 1980, CCIII Orchidaceae, Flora Europaea, Vol 5: Alismataceae to Orchidaceae, Camebridge: Cambridge University Press, pp. 325-350 : 328

3. Cephalanthera L. C. M. Richard 1

Plants with short, creeping rhizome. Stem leafy. Flowers few, large, suberect, sessile or subsessile, in a lax spike, scentless. Perianth-segments similar, usually connivent to give campanu- late flowers. Labellum constricted between the suberect concave basal part (<hypochile) and the forward-directed distal part (epichile) which has a recurved apex and 3-9 interrupted longi­ tudinal ridges above; spur absent or very short. Column long, erect. Rostellum absent. Viscidia absent; bursicles absent.

1 Spur present, short

2 Outer perianth-segments not more than 20 mm; spur 1 -2 mm; epichile with 3-6 ridges 3. cucullata

2 Outer perianth-segments at least 25 mm; spur 3-4 mm; epichile with 7-9 ridges 4. epipactoides

1 Spur absent

3 Flowers pink or purplish; upper part of stem and ovaries pubescent; epichile acute 5. rubra

3 Flowers white; upper part of stem and ovaries glabrous; epichile obtuse

4 Lower leaves ovate to ovate-lanceolate; bracts exceeding the ovary; outer perianth-segments obtuse 1. damasonium

4 Lower leaves lanceolate; bracts much shorter than ovary; outer perianth-segments acute 2. longifoiia