About Orchis militaris L.
Orchis militaris L. is an orchid that grows 20 to 50 cm tall, with a robust stem and elongated oblong basal leaves. Its inflorescence is a dense, purplish cone-shaped cluster holding 10 to 40 flowers. In each flower, the sepals and side petals are grouped together to form a pointed helmet-like structure, which gives the species its name; this structure is lilac on the outside and veined purple on the inside. The lower central petal of the flower ends in two lobes separated by a small tooth. Flowering occurs from April to June, varying by location. This species is widely distributed across Europe, reaching as far north as southern Sweden, but it is rather rare in Mediterranean regions. Its range extends eastward across the Palearctic all the way to Siberia. It prefers full sun and dry calcareous substrates, such as unfertilized lawns, meadows, woodland edges, and open woods, growing at altitudes up to 2000 m. It is extremely rare in Britain, where it is a protected species, and only occurs at Rex Graham nature reserve in Suffolk and the Chiltern Hills in Buckinghamshire. Orchis militaris contains the nutritious polysaccharide glucomannan, and it is one of the original orchid species whose ground roots are used to make the drink salep.
