Family: orchids (Orchidaceae)
Time of flowering: June–August
Size: 30–80 cm
Habitat: edges of forests and forest roads, forest clearings, forests and among shrubs
The erect stem of the broad-leaved marsh orchid (Epipactis helleborine) is densely short-haired in the upper part, and below more or less bare. It is leafy with 5 to 10 horizontally projecting acutely pointed oval leaves, which are about twice as long as the stem internodes (the stem between the nodes). The leaf margin is not distinctly wavy. The lower supporting leaves are much longer than the flowers. The flowers are generally widely opened. The two lateral inner floral leaves are yellow-green, often tinged reddish. The outer floral leaves are white to dark pink. The fruiting heads are bare. Some marsh orchids that are broad-leaved look very similar, and in the field they are difficult to distinguish, so they are often grouped into a species group (Epipactis helleborine agg.).
The broad-leaved marsh orchid grows on moderately fertile, humus-rich soils in shaded, moderately warm locations. In Slovenia it is a widely distributed species.
The broad-leaved marsh orchid is protected here in Slovenia, therefore do not collect it and do not dig it up, as it is best in its natural environment.
