Habitat: Woods, scrub and grasslands on basic and chalk soils.
Description: HABIT: Erect, slender, tuberous perennial herb, 15-50cm tall. STEM(S): Pale green, sometimes violet-tinged. LEAVES: 7-12 grey-green; basal leaves blunt, broad (up to 5cm wide) with very variable, transversely elongated black spots; stem leaves narrow, pointed, merging into small leafy bracts. INFLORESCENCE: Spike, 10cm, initially conical but later cylindrical. FLOWERS: Pale pink or whitish flowers with purple streaks and spots; outer sepals spread, upper sepal and petals form hood; lip 6-10mm with three deep, pointed lobes - outer ones of similar length, the centre lobe somewhat longer; conical spur 6-8mm; odourless. FLOWERING PERIOD: June to August.
