OPHRYS PHRYGANAE

Family and Genus:- See- ORCHIDACEAE

Common Names:- None

Homotypic Synonyms:- Ophrys lutea subsp. phryganae

Meaning:- Ophrys (L) Eye-brow, a name used by the Roman naturalist and

philosopher Pliny.

Phryganae (Gr) Like a thorny bush.

General description:- Relatively strong, mostly squat perennial plants.

Stem:-

1) to 25 cm. tall.

Leaves:-

1) Basal, oval to lanceolate, blunt.

2) Cauline, narrower and pointed.

Flowers:-

1) The flowers stand almost horizontally away from the stem and each bloom

consecutively at almost 90 degrees to the other.

2) Sepals, green.

3) Petals, yellow-green.

4) Labellum, width ± 12mm, deflexed at the base. Blazon, dark brown, metallic,

bluish and sometimes intense blue in the centre.

Wide, strong yellow lobed edge of the lip, which is first deflexed, but then turns

up again right at the very edge. On the fold, the base of the lip rises up in wart-

like fashion at its transition to the edges of the stigmatic cavity.

Fruit:-

1) Capsule, dehiscing by 3 or 6 longitudinal slits.

2) Seeds, numerous, minute, with undifferentiated embryo and no endosperm.

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- Meadow areas which have been strongly grazed, open spaces.

Distribution:- Widespread and common throughout the Mediterranean.

Widespread and common on Crete.

Flowering time:- Mar-Apr.

Photo by:- Steve Lenton