Abundant Anacamptis coriophora subsp. fragrans in Early Growth

During a recent field excursion in the Baix Empordà, we headed to a location that was already familiar to me. In the course of this exploration, we had the satisfaction of identifying a species previously unrecorded for me: Anacamptis coriophora subsp. fragrans, also known as the Fragrant Bug Orchid. The observed population was remarkably abundant, with numerous individuals in their initial growth stages. Most of them still presented closed flowers, indicating that blooming, which typically spans from April or early May to early July, was just commencing or imminent. This subspecies is notable for its sweet and fragrant scent, contrasting with the characteristic odor of its nominal species, and usually thrives in drier habitats such as open scrub or pastures, which aligned with the conditions of our observation site.