It bears a close resemblance to A. coriophora, commonly known as the Bug Orchid but tends to be taller, spindlier and carry more individual flowers (up to one hundred in some cases). A. fragrans also differs in its habitat preferences, seemingly less reliant on the damp, slightly acidic conditions of its relative and favouring the more typical alkaline orchid habitat of dry grassland, garrigue, scrub and even open woodland. This partiality has led to its relative abundance as compared to A. coriophora which is in steady decline due to the disappearance of its boggy meadow habitat.

Apart from habitat and scent, A. fragrans is difficult to distinguish from A. coriophora and differentiation becomes even less straightforward in Portugal and southern Spain where there exists a variety of the latter, A. coriophora subsp. carpetana which is taller and more floriferous with an overall appearance very much like that of A. fragrans. The key difference is the spur which in the subspecies is significantly larger and more bulbous, than that of A. fragrans, being positively skinny by comparison.

This is an extremely widespread species present in most of southern Europe and shares with its close relative A. sancta,  a tolerance of mildly saline conditions being very much at home in sand dunes , even where exposed to occasional inundation by the sea. The photographs come primarily from Italy and Mallorca, dating from mid April to mid May.