Summer twisted orchid

Family Orchidaceae. Occurs in marshy meadows, on hills, on sands in the warm-temperate and subtropical zones of Western Europe. Rare.

Plants 10–30 cm tall. Tuberous roots 3 to 6 in a cluster; they are spindle-shaped or cylindrical, fleshy. Stem thin, slightly curved, ribbed or smooth, finely glandular-pubescent above. Sheathing leaves 4–5, located on the lower part of the stem, linear-lanceolate, 5–12 cm long, glossy, yellowish-green; upper stem leaves small. Bracts lanceolate, acute, equal to the ovary or longer than it. Flowers small, pure white or greenish-white, fragrant (especially in the evening). The dorsal sepal and petals are close together, the lateral sepals reflexed. The lip is almost two-lobed due to a deep constriction; its anterior lobe rounded, fringed at the margin; the posterior lobe oblong-ovate, concave. The column is green. Flowers in mid-summer.