Scientific name: Dactylorhiza incarnata subsp. coccinea (Pugsley) Soó
Common name: Early marsh-orchid
Description
Habit: Plant with divided tapering underground tubers. Stems hollow, washed purple at tip, 15-30cm high.
Leaves: 5-10 leaves present near the base, 5-9 times as long as wide, unspotted, dark green, linear-lanceolate, broadest near the base, largest leaves up to 21cm long, uppermost 1-3 leaves bract-like, sometimes edged purple, hooded at apex.
Flowers: Inflorescence dense with 20-40(-100) small brick-red flowers present; sepals and upper petals nearly equal; labellum larger, obscurely lobed or lobed less than half way to base, more or less rhombic, the sides usually strongly reflexed; bearing a pointed spur, directed obliquely downwards, somewhat shorter than ovary; ovary cylindrical, twisted, stalkless.
Habitat: Dune slacks and marshes, fens and lakeshores.
Distribution: Scattered throughout the island.
Native status: Native
Of conservation interest: No
Variation: Little variation. The brick-red colour can fade as the flowers age.