Dactylorhiza maculata, known as the heath spotted-orchid[2] or moorland spotted orchid, is an herbaceous perennial plant of the family Orchidaceae.

The scientific binomial name of this plant was initially Orchis maculata, proposed by the Swedish naturalist and botanist Carl Linnaeus in 1753.

In German this plant is called Geflecktes Knabenkraut, in French orchis tacheté, and in Italian orchide macchiata or erba d'Adamo.

These plants are bulbous geophytes, forming their buds in underground tubers or bulbs, organs that annually produce new stems, leaves and flowers.

The underground part of the stem has two webbed tubers, each deeply divided into several lobes or tubercles (characteristic of the genus Dactylorhiza).

The first one has the important function of supplying the stem whilst the second collects nutrients for the development of the plant that will form in the coming year.