Lax-flowered Orchid
Height: 20-60cm
Colour: Purple, occasionally white
Flowering: April to July
Soil type: Damp – Alkaline to slightly acidic

This orchid will create attractive swathes in damp meadows. When distinguishing from other orchis species this is the first point to note. The flowering part of the scape is dark purple, the flowers openly spaced out. The two outer sepals, oval in shape, point upwards with the central sepal forming a loose hood with the slightly shorter upper petals. The lip is almost round in shape, folded on a vertical line. It is white in the centre, faintly marked with purple spots, the lower edge is slightly notched. A straight spur, angled upwards, protrudes from the back of the flower, it is approximately the same length as the lip. The leaves which are spaced along the lower stem are long, narrow and pointed.

This orchid grows in seasonally damp or saturated alkaline (to slightly acidic) soils in full sun up to an altitude of 1600m.

Synonyms: Orchis palustris var. laxiflora, Orchis laxiflora subsp. ensifolia, Anacamptis laxiflora

These images of orchids were taken in Southern Spain, many terrestrial species are widespread from the Iberian peninsular eastwards through the Mediterranean region.

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