About Dactylorhiza majalis subsp. praetermissa (Druce) D.M.Moore & Soó
On average, Dactylorhiza majalis subsp. praetermissa (referred to broadly as Dactylorhiza majalis here) grows 15 to 40 cm (6 to 15+1⁄2 inches) tall, though individual plants may reach up to 60 cm (2.0 ft) in height. Its hollow stem holds four to ten spotted leaves, which are purple or burgundy in color. The leaves range in shape from ovate to lanceolate, measuring 6 to 18 cm (2+1⁄2 to 7 inches) long by 1.5 to 3.5 cm (1⁄2 to 1+1⁄2 inches) wide; leaves become smaller and more distinctly lanceolate closer to the plant's inflorescence. The bracts of this subspecies are roughly the same length as the unopened blossom, and completely cover the blossom before it blooms. The densely flowered inflorescence is approximately 5 to 15 cm (2 to 6 inches) long. It starts out conical in shape, becoming distinctly cylindrical once it reaches full bloom. Each inflorescence holds seven to fifty blossoms, which are most commonly purplish red; light pink or white blossoms occur rarely. The lateral tepals of the outer perianth circle grow obliquely or vertically upright, measuring 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 middle tepal is smaller, and forms a "helmet" structure with the two lateral tepals of the inner perianth circle, which measure 6 to 11 mm (1⁄4 to 7⁄16 inch) long. The trilobate lip of the flower 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 pattern are variable, with markings consisting of lines, streaks, or dots in the lighter central area of the lip. The flower's spur is slightly bent downwards, and is slightly shorter than the ovary. The plant's tuber is irregularly shaped and divided in a palmate pattern. This broad-leaved marsh orchid has a karyotype of four sets of twenty chromosomes (2n = 4x = 80), with a genome size of 14.24 Gbp (2C). The orchid's seeds do not contain endosperm to nourish the embryo, so germination can only occur if the seed is infected by a root-inhabiting mycorrhizal fungus. This taxon is widespread across much of Europe and north-central Asia, ranging from Spain and Ireland east to Siberia and Kazakhstan. In Germany, it is widespread but has several 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 significant distribution gap south of the Aar river between Aarau and Lake Neuchâtel.
