Anacamptis papilionacea subsp. papilionacea is a remarkable flower as regard to its size and its colour that allows to see it from far and to easily recognize it. The red helmet and the wide and pink lip are discriminating characters for this species.

In Corsica, the type-species is the more frequent, it can be often observed on the road embankments and in the island meadows. It is much less common on the continent.

It blooms from April to June, and can form, in Corsica, very large colonies.