Dactylorhiza
(incarnata ssp.) incarnata, punakämmekkä
Dactylorhiza incarnata is one of the most common and most handsome
of all Finnish Dactylorhizas, but it isn´t easy to find. It has propably
got much more rare in past few years than what it has been before, as the
marshes have been drained. The plant is guite large, about 70 cm (28")
heigh (thought 30 cm, 12", is more usual) with narrow leaves. It is usually
green-leaved, but plants with leves which are spotted in both sides belong
to variation hyphaematodes. Read more about this comfucing variation
from the description of D. cruenta. 
D.
incarnata has lot of small flowers in a tight inflorescense.
Besides D. cruenta it is also possible to mix D. incarnata with D. sphagnicola. D. sphagnicola is a rare species which can´t be said to grow in Finland for sure.
D. incarnata is guite rare orchid in Finland excluding Ahvenanmaa. It reguires wet, limey marsh with lot of nutriense. It is fun to see that plants in the wet part of the bog are large and handsome and plants in the drier parts are true miniatures, only about 15 cm (6") heigh.
This species flowers early, in the early June, sometimes with D. maculatas in early or mid July.
It is protected by law south from Oulu department excluding Ahvenanmaa.
