Basal leaves generally less than 10cm long, elliptic and prominently parallel-veined. Stems 15-30cm tall with one to five leaves, the uppermost bract-like. Racemes 5-10cm long, rarely to twice this. Flowers off-white, 1-1.8cm across with an almost horizontal spur 1.5-2cm long, fragrant after dark, summer. Most of Europe but less in the extreme south, to the Caucasus, northern Asia and North Africa, in open forest and grassy slopes in alkaline soils.
a, P. bifolia; b, P. chlorantha;
