Easily mistaken for : Common Twayblade but that is arm-less having only two limbs on the lip and not four, and its basal leaves number only two and those are very broad and oval rather than the four lanceolate basal leaves of Man Orchid.

Hybridizes with : Monkey Orchid (Orchis simia) to produce Orchis × bergonii which was found in one site in Kent in 1985.

Uniquely identifiable characteristics

Distinguishing Feature :

No relation to : Isle of Man Cabbage [a plant with similar name].

Although some or all the photographs above were taken in France, this Orchid does grow in the UK too but is relatively scarce.

Grows on short turf on limestone especially on the North Downs of Kent.

The floral bouquet is due to a large number of volatile aliphatic compounds, alkanoids (which resemble alkanes and are not to be confused with alkaloids), terpenes, terpenoids and sesquiterpenoids. The main aliphatic compounds are Nonanol and Undecane whereas the main terpenoids are Benzaldehyde and Methyl Salicylate. Monoterpenes include α-Pinene and β-Pinene, Limonene and Eucalyptol (aka 1,8-Cineole). The sesquiterpenes include β-Caryophyllene and Caryophylladienol