G. conopsea v conopsea was first described by Brown from Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany in 1753.
Its name means "with the appearance of a fly" and for many years it has been familiar to orchidologists
as the Fragrant Orchid.
G. conopsea is a widespread and sometimes abundant orchid with a huge distribution that covers boreal
and temperate Eurasia right through to China. In the south of its range ( France and Spain) it becomes
a montane species and is very much at home at 2500 metres in the European Alps, growing alongside more
recognized Alpine species such as its close relative G. rhellicani.
In Britain it is not easily confused with other species though it will happily hybridize and a recent
example has appeared at Kenfig National Nature Reserve in Wales, where G. conopsea has been found crossed with D. praetermissa. Although hybridization amongst Dactylorhiza species is commonplace, to
find intergenetic instances is much more unusual.
There are two recognized varieties, the first being var borealis which favours acid or neutral soils and
the variety depicted here - var densiflora, both of which occur throughout the range of G. conopsea itself.
Variety densiflora favours damp alkaline meadows and fens though also seems reasonably content to grow
in drier conditions, particularly in Alpine area's.
On the continent G. conopsea v densiflora is largely a montane plant and the first four photograph's come
from the higher plateaux of the Vercors National Park. The final three are from Southern England.
