Ophrys apifera Hudson 1762

Photo by © Pieter C. Brouwer and his Photo Website

Another Flower

Photo courtesy of Jeff Aguillon

Part sun ColdLATE Spring AND Summer

Common Name The Bee Bearing Ophyrs

Flower Size about 1" [to 2.5 cm]

This is a terrestrial, small to medium sized, cold growing species from Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Ireland, Great Britain, Portugal, Spain, Balearic Islands, France, Corsica, Sardinia, Sicily, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Czechoslovakia, Austria, Hungary, Switzerland, Italy, Yugoslavia, Albania, eastern Aegean Islands, Greece, Cyprus, Romania, Crimea, Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Jordan, Iraq and Iran and occurs in moist grasslands and wastelands at elevations around 1800 meters with erect stems carrying ovate to lanceolate basal leaves and blooms in the late spring and summer on a 12" [30 cm] long, loosely few to several [2 to 11] flowered inflorescence.

Synonyms Arachnites apifera Tod. 1791; Ophrys albiflora Spruner ex Boiss 1882; Ophrys apifera f. flavescens (Rosbach) P.D.Sell in P.D.Sell & G.Murrell 1996; Ophrys apifera f. trollii (Hegetschw.) P.D.Sell in P.D.Sell & G.Murrell 1996; Ophrys apifera subsp. austriaca (Wiesb. ex Dichtl) K.Richt 1890; Ophrys apifera subsp. chlorantha (Hegetschw.) Arcang 1882; Ophrys apifera subsp. trollii (Hegetschw.) O.Bolòs 1991; Ophrys apifera var. almaracensis Pérez-Chisc 1990 publ. 1991; Ophrys apifera var. aurita (Moggr.) Gremli 1887; Ophrys apifera var. basiliensis S.Schwegler & Matthies 2004; Ophrys apifera var. belgarum Turner Ettl 1998; Ophrys apifera var. chlorantha (Hegetschw.) K.Richt 1890; Ophrys apifera var. flavescens Rosbach 1880; Ophrys apifera var. fulvofusca M.P.Grasso & Scrugli 1987; Ophrys apifera var. immaculata Bréb 1849; Ophrys apifera var. muteliae Mutel 1835; Ophrys apifera var. tilaventina Nonis & Liverani 1997; Ophrys apifera var. trollii (Hegetschw.) Rchb.f. 1851; Ophrys aquisgranensis Kaltenb 1850; Ophrys arachnites Mill. 1768; Ophrys austriaca Wiesb. ex Dichtl 1883; Ophrys chlorantha Hegetschw 1840; Ophrys epeirophora Peter 1883; Ophrys immaculata (Bréb.) O.Nägeli 1916; Ophrys insectifera L. in part 1753; Ophrys insectifera subvar. aurita Moggr. 1869; Ophrys penedensis Kalkhoff 1914; Ophrys purpurea Tausch 1831; Ophrys ripaensis Porta 1905; Ophrys rostrata Ten. 1830; Ophrys trollii Hegetschw. 1840; Orchis apifera (Huds.) Salisb. 1796; Orchis pseudoapifera Caldesi 1880

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Die Orchideen Schlechter 1915; Atlas des Orchidees Cultivees Constantin 1920 drawing fide; Encyclopedia of Cultivated Orchids Hawkes 1965 photo ok; AOS Bulletin Vol 38 No 9 1969 photo fide; Die Orchideen 3 Auflage Bd 1 Sonderabdruck aus Schlechter Lieferung 4 193 to 256 Brieger, Maatsch and Senghas 1973 photo ok; AOS Bulletin Vol 50 No 10 1981 photo fide; AOS Bulletin Vol 54 #1 1985 photo fide; AOS Bulletin Vol 54 No 2 1985 photo fide; AOS Bulletin Vol 61 No 9 1992 postage stamp fide; AOS Bulletin Vol 66 #1 1997; Orchids Australia Vol 10 No 6 1998 photo; Orchids of Europe, North Africa and the Middle East Delforge 2005; Ophyrs The Bee Orchids of Europe Pederson & Faurholdt 2007; AOS Bulletin Vol 78 #3 2009 photo fide; Orchideen Series C Band 74 Thiv & Worz 2012 photo fide; Orchid Digest Vol 81 #1 2017 photo fide; Orchid Digest Vol 81 #2 2017 photo fide; AOS Bulletin Vol 86 #5 2017 photo fide; Orchid Digest Vol 82 #2 2018 as Orcis apifera Photo fide; Orchid Digest Vol 83 #2 2019 photo fide; Orchid Digest Vol 84 #1 2020 photo fide;

Ophrys apifera var. alba Hudson ?

Photo courtesy of Jeff Aguillon

LATE

Common Name The White Ophrys

A white variety of the previous species. Both of these species upon close examination have bee like lips with antenna and all, great mimicry.

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ;

Ophrys apifera var. aurita (Moggr.) Gremli 1887

Photo by © Pieter C. Brouwer and his Photo Website

Another form of O apifera

Ophrys apifera var. bicolor (Naegeli) Nelson 1962

Photo by J. M. Lewin and the Orchids of France and Europe

LATE

Common Name The Two Colored Ophrys

Flower Size about 1" [2.5 cm]

Found in Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Ireland, Great Britain, Portugal, Spain, Balaeric Islands, France, Corsica, Sardinia, Sicily, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Czechloslovakia, Austria, Hungary, Switzerland, Italy, Yugoslavia, Albania, eastern Aegean Islands, Greece, Cyprus, Romania, Crimea, Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Jordan, Iraq and Iran as a small to medium sized, cold growing terrestrial that blooms in the spring.

Synonyms Ophrys apifera f. bicolor P.D.Sell in P.D.Sell & G.Murrell 1996; Ophrys apifera var. bicolor E.Nelson 1962; ; *Ophrys bicolor Naegeli 1914; Ophrys mangini Tallon ?

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; AOS Bulletin Vol 50 No 10 1981 photo fide; AOS Bulletin Vol 54 No 2 1985 photo fide; Orchids of Europe, North Africa and the Middle East Delforge 2005

Ophrys apifera var. chlorantha (Hegetschw.) Nyman 1882

Photo courtesy of © Bill Temple

Common Name The Green Ophyrs

Flower Size

Found in Great Britain and blooms in the spring

Synonyms Ophrys apifera subsp. chlorantha (Hegetschw.) Arcang 1882

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; AOS Bulletin Vol 54 No 2 1985 photo fide;

Ophrys apifera var. flavescens Rosbach 1880

Photo courtesy of © Bill Temple

Common Name The Yellow Ophrys

Flower Size

Found in Great Britain and blooms in the spring

Synonyms Ophrys apifera f. flavescens (Rosbach) P.D.Sell in P.D.Sell & G.Murrell 1996

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ;

Ophrys apifera var. friburgensis Freyhold 1879

Photo courtesy of T.H. Pain and the Orchids of France and Europe

LATE

Found in Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Ireland, Great Britain, Portugal, Spain, Balaeric Islands, France, Corsica, Sardinia, Sicily, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Czechloslovakia, Austria, Hungary, Switzerland, Italy, Yugoslavia, Albania, eastern Aegean Islands, Greece, Cyprus, Romania, Crimea, Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Jordan, Iraq and Iran as a small to medium sized, cold growing terrestrial that blooms in the spring.

Synonyms Ophrys apifera f. botteronii (Chodat) P.D.Sell in P.D.Sell & G.Murrell 1996; Ophrys apifera subsp. botteronii (Chodat) Naegeli 1909; Ophrys apifera subsp. friburgensis (Freyhold) Soó 1928; Ophrys apifera subsp. jurana Ruppert & Zimmermann 1911; Ophrys apifera var. botteronii (Chodat) Brand in W.D.J.Koch 1905; Ophrys botteronii Chodat 1889; Ophrys friburgensis (Freyhold) O.Nägeli 1912; Ophrys jurana Neuberger ?; Ophrys saraepontana Ruppert 1925

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Orchids of Europe, North Africa and the Middle East Delforge 2005

Ophrys apifera var. trollii (Hegetschw.) Rchb.f. 1851

Photo courtesy of © Bill Temple

Common Name Troll's Ophrys

Flower Size

Found in Great Britain and blooms in the spring

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Orchids of Europe, North Africa and the Middle East Delforge 2005

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