About Dactylorhiza majalis subsp. cordigera (Fr.) H.Sund.
Dactylorhiza majalis subsp. cordigera, the broad-leaved marsh orchid, has an average height of 15 to 40 cm (6 to 15 1/2 inches), though individual plants can reach up to 60 cm (2.0 ft) tall. Its hollow stem holds 4 to 10 leaves, which are marked with purple or burgundy spots. The leaves are shaped from ovate to lanceolate, measuring 6 to 18 cm (2 1/2 to 7 inches) long and 1.5 to 3.5 cm (1/2 to 1 1/2 inches) wide. Leaves get smaller and more narrowly lanceolate as they grow closer to the inflorescence. Bracts are roughly the same length as the flowers, and cover the flowers before they open. The densely flowered inflorescence is 5 to 15 cm (2 to 6 inches) long; it starts conical, and becomes distinctly cylindrical when fully bloomed. Each inflorescence holds 7 to 50 flowers, which are most commonly purplish red, and rarely light pink or white. The lateral tepals of the outer perianth circle grow in an oblique or vertical upright orientation. They measure 7 to 12 mm (1/4 to 1/2 inch) long and 2.5 to 5 mm (1/8 to 3/16 inch) wide. The central outer tepal is smaller, and forms a "helmet" with the two lateral inner tepals, which are 6 to 11 mm (1/4 to 7/16 inch) long. The trilobate lip is 5 to 10 mm (3/16 to 3/8 inch) long and 7 to 14 mm (1/4 to 9/16 inch) wide. Lip shape and patterning are variable across individuals. Markings in the lighter central area of the lip appear as lines, streaks, or dots. The spur curves slightly downward and is slightly shorter than the ovary. Its tuber is irregularly shaped and palmately divided. The broad-leaved marsh orchid has a karyotype of four sets of twenty chromosomes, written as 2n = 4x = 80, with a 2C genome size of 14.24 Gbp. Orchid seeds contain no endosperm to nourish the embryo, so germination can only occur when the seed is infected by a root mycorrhizal fungus. Dactylorhiza majalis is widespread across most of Europe and north-central Asia, ranging from Spain and Ireland east to Siberia and Kazakhstan. In Germany, it is widespread but has multiple gaps in its distribution; it is extinct in many areas, especially from western to northern Germany. In Switzerland it is also quite widespread, with a major distribution gap south of the Aar river, between Aarau and Lake Neuchâtel.
