SPECIES DESCRIPTION
OPHRYS SPHEGODES
Including the following subspecies:
Family and Genus:- See- ORCHIDACEAE
Common Names:- None
Homotypic Synonyms:- Ophrys aranifera subsp. arachnitiformis
Meaning:- Ophrys (L) Eye-brow, a name used by the Roman naturalist and
philosopher Pliny.
Sphegodes (Gr) Resembling wasps
General description:- Plant slender, a multi-flowered short to medium perennial.
Stem:-
1) Usually 15-45 cm tall, with (2-)4-8(-15)
Leaves:-
1) Basal, oval to lanceolate blunt.
2) Cauline, narrower and pointed.
Flowers:-
1) Spike, lax to dense, (2-)4-8(-15) flowered.
2) Sepals, usually pale to yellowish-green,
a) lateral, sometimes 2-coloured (divided along the midvein) with the lower half
suffused purplish-brown.
3) Petals, very variable.
4) Labellum, obovate in outline, straight, almost flat or with recurved margins, entire
or shallowly 3-lobed, ground colour brown. mirror consisting of an H-shaped
figure (cross-line sometimes absent), or 2 parallel bands connected to the base
of the labellum. apex with a small triangular point.
5) Column acute to subobtuse.
Habitat:- Dry open shrubby vegetation, scrubland vegetation, mixed scrub, open
woodland meadows, 0-800(-1100) m.
Distribution:- Throughout Greece, also in the N. - Mediterranean region, extending
to W & C Europe in the N and to Caucasus and N Iran in the E; very variable.
Flowering time:- March to early June, with peak in April-May.
OPHRYS SPHEGODES subsp. CRETENSIS Back to Top
Homotypic Synonyms:- Ophrys araneola subsp. cretensis, Ophrys cretensis.
Meaning:- Cretensis (L) Cretan, from Crete.
Resembling Ophrys sphegodes, but differering in the following characters:
1) Labellum:
a) 5-9 mm long.
b) rounded or truncate at the base.
c) basal part shortly velvety to subglabrous along the margin.
d) apex rounded to acute with a small terminal point.
e) distal half without a differently coloured margin or sometimes with a light brown
to yellow margin up to 1 mm.
Habitat:- See Ophrys sphegodes
Distribution:- Endemic to Crete, Kiklades and Karpathos.
Flowering time:- See Ophrys sphegodes
Photos by:- Steve Lenton
Homotypic Synonyms:- Ophrys araneola subsp. cretensis, Ophrys cretensis.
Meaning:- Cretensis (L) Cretan, from Crete.
Resembling Ophrys sphegodes, but differering in the following characters:
1) Labellum:
a) 5-9 mm long.
b) rounded or truncate at the base.
c) basal part shortly velvety to subglabrous along the margin.
d) apex rounded to acute with a small terminal point.
e) distal half without a differently coloured margin or sometimes with a light brown
to yellow margin up to 1 mm.
Habitat:- See Ophrys sphegodes
Distribution:- Endemic to Crete, Kiklades and Karpathos.
Flowering time:- See Ophrys sphegodes
Photos by:- Steve Lenton
OPHRYS SPHEGODES subsp. GORTYNIA Back to Top
Homotypic Synonyms:- Ophrys gortynia, Ophrys mammosa subsp. gortynia.
Meaning:- Gortynia (L) From Ayios Dheka, SW Crete.
Resembling Ophrys sphegodes, but differering in the following characters:
1) Labellum:
a) bulges well-developed.
b) obliquely conical.
c) wedge-shaped at the base.
Habitat:- See Ophrys sphegodes
Distribution:- Endemic to Crete and Kiklades.
Flowering time:- See Ophrys sphegodes
Photos by:- Jacques van Gerven
Homotypic Synonyms:- Ophrys gortynia, Ophrys mammosa subsp. gortynia.
Meaning:- Gortynia (L) From Ayios Dheka, SW Crete.
Resembling Ophrys sphegodes, but differering in the following characters:
1) Labellum:
a) bulges well-developed.
b) obliquely conical.
c) wedge-shaped at the base.
Habitat:- See Ophrys sphegodes
Distribution:- Endemic to Crete and Kiklades.
Flowering time:- See Ophrys sphegodes
Photos by:- Jacques van Gerven
OPHRYS SPHEGODES subsp. MAMMOSA Back to Top
Homotypic Synonyms:- Ophrys sphegodes subsp. taurica
Meaning:- Mammosa (L) Full-breasted (reference to the bulges of labellum).
Resembling Ophrys sphegodes, but differering in the following characters:
1) Labellum:
a) bulges well-developed.
b) obliquely conical.
c) wedge-shaped at the base.
Habitat:- See Ophrys sphegodes
Distribution:- Throughout Greece. - Balkans and Anatolia to Caucasus.
Flowering time:- See Ophrys sphegodes
See Photo
Homotypic Synonyms:- Ophrys sphegodes subsp. taurica
Meaning:- Mammosa (L) Full-breasted (reference to the bulges of labellum).
Resembling Ophrys sphegodes, but differering in the following characters:
1) Labellum:
a) bulges well-developed.
b) obliquely conical.
c) wedge-shaped at the base.
Habitat:- See Ophrys sphegodes
Distribution:- Throughout Greece. - Balkans and Anatolia to Caucasus.
Flowering time:- See Ophrys sphegodes
See Photo
OPHRYS SPHEGODES subsp. SPRUNERI Back to Top
Homotypic Synonyms:- Ophrys ferrum-equinum subsp. spruneri, Ophrys hiulca, Ophrys spruneri, Ophrys grigoriana.
Meaning:- Spruneri (L) For the19th century German botanist, Herr W. von Spruner.
Resembling Ophrys sphegodes, but differering in the following characters:
1) Labellum:
a) basal part ± shaggy along the margin.
b) apex emarginate around a small terminal point.
2) Sepals:
a) green to white, occasionally with purplish-brown markings.
3) Petals:
a) dull yellow to olive-green, often suffused red or brown.
Habitat:- See Ophrys sphegodes
Distribution:- Endemic to Greece, Crete and Kiklades.
Flowering time:- See Ophrys sphegodes
Photos by:- Fotis Samaritakis
Homotypic Synonyms:- Ophrys ferrum-equinum subsp. spruneri, Ophrys hiulca, Ophrys spruneri, Ophrys grigoriana.
Meaning:- Spruneri (L) For the19th century German botanist, Herr W. von Spruner.
Resembling Ophrys sphegodes, but differering in the following characters:
1) Labellum:
a) basal part ± shaggy along the margin.
b) apex emarginate around a small terminal point.
2) Sepals:
a) green to white, occasionally with purplish-brown markings.
3) Petals:
a) dull yellow to olive-green, often suffused red or brown.
Habitat:- See Ophrys sphegodes
Distribution:- Endemic to Greece, Crete and Kiklades.
Flowering time:- See Ophrys sphegodes
Photos by:- Fotis Samaritakis
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~