Epipactis helleborine var. orbicularis is a plant very similar to the type-species, the inflorescence is identical but leaves are smaller and orbicular. This taxon does not geographically differenciates from the type-species but it appears frequently in rather sunny areas, however this is far to be a strict rule.

Plants growing in more sunny places, may have an earlier flowering period than the type-species.

This taxon has also been described at the subspecies rank : Epipactis helleborine subsp. orbicularis (K.Richt.) E.Klein, 1997