The Jester Orchid ( Anacamptis morio ), formerly part of the Orchis genus, is a relatively common and rather early plant (from April to June). Its presence is proven over a large part of French territory (including Corsica). The genus is European and well represented in France with very common species such as the Pyramidal Anacamptis (Pyramidal Orchid) or others more localized mainly in the south of the country.

Relatively easy to identify: the stem measures from 10 to 30 cm, it is green and turns purple at the level of the inflorescence. The green and unspotted leaves are sometimes barely visible but generally bloom from the base. The flowers, more or less numerous or dense, range from light pink (or almost white) to purple. The sepals and petals are grouped in the shape of a helmet (like the majority of Orchis). The sepals are striped internally, which will make it easy to differentiate the Jester Orchis from the Male Orchis which sometimes shares the same biotope with the same flowering dates. A few meters away, confusion is possible. The labellum is generally punctuated with purple spots but these spots are sometimes absent.

NB: There is a subspecies " A picta " which will be impossible to differentiate in the field: smaller plant, smaller flowers are totally abstract elements as the type species varies in significant proportions.