This widespread but handsome orchid was first described from Germany in 1753 and its name refers to
the helmeted, soldier like appearance of the flowers.
Despite it's huge Euro-Siberian range it is a local species, although it can be abundant its favoured site's. in continental Europe. The distribution of O. militaris takes it from Britain in the north, through the northern Mediterranean to Russia in the East. It is at its least common in the Mediterranean regions and also in the UK where it was thought to have become extinct in 1914. The story of J. E Lousley's picnic and its consequent rediscovery in Britain is well known but since that day in 1947, O. militaris has been closely protected to the point where its Chilterns location is now common knowledge and it is regularly visited and photographed. The need for the plants protection was regretably stressed again recently when a dozen plants were dug up and stolen by a wretched collector. Happily the species is now being preserved in a few other less well known site's.
Its habitat requirements are varied and whereas in Britain it is exclusively a chalk downland plant, there
are colonies in France and Switzerland that thrive in marshes with their feet quite literally in permanent
water. In Europe where O. militaris grows in huge numbers with both O. simia and O. purpurea , hybridization is common and the resultant progeny can come in bewildering and often highly attractive
varieties.
Illustrations 1,2,3,6,8,10 and 13 are from the Chilterns (UK) and 12 is one of the marsh growing plants
from Chirens in southern France. The remainder are all from the Vercors, also in southern France.
