An elegant spring flower, found in damp meadows of Central and Southern England. The flowers have a chequered pattern, usually maroon, but they can also be white.
This plant is much less common than it used to be a century ago, due to the loss of its habitat due to modern agriculture (such as water-meadows being drained).
At preserved sites where it still remains, such as Magdalen College Oxford, it can be prolific. It is also easy to grow as a garden flower.