Anacamptis pyramidalis 

  Pyramidal orchid   

Photographed 7 July 1996

Negative number anpyr070796

This is a conspicuous orchid, from 8 - 32" (20 - 80 cm) tall. The conical flower head is very distinctive. The flowers tend to open at the end of June in England, or mid April in Crete and their colour varies from white to the deep purple, the normal colour being pinkish purple. This is a winter green species with long thin, often twisted leaves. Its habitat is normally chalk grassland, but I have once found it growing in woods near Epipactis helleborine.