Nigritella nigra, (L.) Reichenb. fil., 1851

D. M. Moore (ed.), 1980, CCIII Orchidaceae, Flora Europaea, Vol 5: Alismataceae to Orchidaceae, Camebridge: Cambridge University Press, pp. 325-350 : 333

1. N. nigra (L.) Reichenb. fil .,

Icon FI. Germ. 13-14: 102 (1851) ( Gymnadenia nigra (L.) Reichenb.).

Stems 5-30 cm, somewhat angled, rather slender. Leaves 3-20 cm, linear to linear-lanceolate, acute to subobtuse, canaliculate, with denticu­ late margins. Spike 10-25 cm, many-flowered. Flowers 5-10 mm. Perianth-segments lanceolate to sublinear, acute. Labellum subtriangular to lanceolate-ovate, acuminate, entire or some­ times crenulate. Spur saccate, obtuse, violet or whitish. 2n = 64.

Meadows; somewhat calcicole.

Norway and Sweden; mountains of Europe southwards to N. Spain, C. Appennini and S. Greece. Al Au Bu Ga Ge Gr He Hs It Ju No Rm Su.

1 Lateral inner perianth-segments c. 1 /2as wide as the outer; flowers usually blackish-crimson (a) subsp. nigra

1 Lateral inner perianth-segments about as wide as the outer; flowers red to whitish

2 Spike ±cylindrical; basal leaves 7-12 (b) subsp. rubra

2 Spike conical; basal leaves 12-18 (c) subsp. comeliana