Eastern Mediterranean region.
A rather delicate-looking species with a loose flower spike of pinkish flowers with large lips and long prominent spurs; reaching 30 cm in height. In light shade in pine woods etc.
Upper four photographs from pine woods, Pafos Forest, Troodos Massif, Cyprus 2004.
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Many plants in the Troodos Mountains have markedly curved spurs, and these have been placed in a separate subspecies troodii. They frequently grow mixed with subsp. anatolica and it is doubtful if they deserve subspecific rank.
This photograph shows the subsp. troodii.
Bottom photograph: limestone pasture below the Attaviros, Rhodes, April 2008.
All photographs
© Paul Hackney