Whole plant portrait of Pugsley's Marsh Orchid Dactylorhiza traunsteinerioides.
Characteristically, this uncommon orchid has a small stature with few leaves and few relatively large flowers. It seems to favour a specific habitat and whenever I have encountered the species it has been growing in very wet fenland, sometimes in standing water.
It is often difficult to identify and has a tendency to hybridize with the more common Southern Marsh Orchid Dactylorhiza praetermissa.
Ref: MN0429
Location: Norfolk