Ophrys cinereophila

Ophrys cinereophila

Ophrys cinereophila is a small bee orchid that is native to Greece and the Levant. O. cinereophila was first described by Paulus and Gack from Lassithi, Crete in 1998 and its name is a reference to its pollinator - Andrena cinereophila.
Ophrys cinereophila (Orchidaceae) Archanes, Crete. Mar 29, 2023 Geotagged,Greece,Ophrys cinereophila,Spring

Appearance

It is a small plant, rarely exceeding 20cms in height, with an inflorescence of up to ten diminutive flowers. O. cinereophila is not a hugely variable species though specular patterns can differ quite markedly. The key and most consistent distinguishing feature of this species is the severe geniculation of the lip below the stigmatic cavity. This is then followed by a flat spot before the lip strongly re-curves again, giving the flower a distinctive crescent shaped lateral profile. O. cinereophila is a plant of dry calcereous soils always in full sun, up to an altitude of 750 metres and which first appears in flower as early as February.

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Taxonomy
KingdomPlantae
DivisionAngiosperms
ClassMonocots
OrderAsparagales
FamilyOrchidaceae
GenusOphrys
SpeciesOphrys cinereophila
Photographed in
Greece