Ophrys omegaifera Fleischm. 1925 Photo by Paul Davies
Common Name The Omega Ophrys [Greek letter]
Flower Size 1.4" [3.4 cm]
Found in southern Spain, Sicily and on the islands of Crete and Rhodes in grasslands, Garrigue, olive groves and open pinewoods at elevations of sea level to 2000 meters as a miniature to just medium sized, cold growing terrestrial with an erect stem carrying a few basal, elliptic, subacute, basallly clasping leaves and has a few conduplicate, acute sheaths along the stem and blooms in the winter and spring on a terminal, to 12" [30 cm] long, 1 to 8 flowered inflorescence that blooms in the spring.
Synonyms Ophrys algarvensis D.Tyteca, Benito & M.Walravens 2003; Ophrys atlantica subsp. durieui (Rchb.f.) Maire & Weiller 1959; Ophrys basilissa C.Alibertis, A.Alibertis & H.R.Reinhard 1990; *Ophrys dyris Maire 1931; Ophrys dyris f. kelleri Maire 1936; Ophrys fusca subsp. dyris (Maire) Soó 1935; Ophrys fusca ssp omegaifera (H. Fleischm.) E. Nelson 1962; Ophrys fusca var. dyris (Maire) O.Bolòs & Vigo 2001; Ophrys lutea ssp omegaifera (H. Fleischm.) Soó ; Ophrys omegaifera subsp. basilissa (C.Alibertis, A.Alibertis & H.R.Reinhard) H.Kretzschmar 2002; Ophrys omegaifera subsp. dyris (Maire) Del Prete 1984; Ophrys omegaifera var. basilissa (C.Alibertis, A.Alibertis & H.R.Reinhard) Faurh. 2002; Ophrys omegaifera var. dyris (Maire) Soó 1979 publ. 1980
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; AOS Bulletin Vol 54 No 3 1985 as O dyris photo fide; AOS Bulletin Vol 54 No 4 1985 photo fide; AOS Bulletin Vol 54 No 4 1985 as O fleischmannii Orchids of Europe, North Africa and the Middle East Delforge 2005; Ophyrs The Bee Orchids of Europe Pederson & Faurholdt 2007; AOS Bulletin Vol 87 #1 2018 photo ok;
Ophrys omegaifera subsp. basilissa (C.Alibertis, A.Alibertis & H.R.Reinhard) H.Kretzschmar 2002
Another Flower Photo courtesy of Francois Rion
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Common Name The Empress Ophrys [refers to the large lip]
Flower Size 1.6" [4 cm]
Found in the Aegean Islands, Crete and Greece in garrigue, abandoned cultivation, olive groves and open pinewoods at elevations up to 500 meters as a miniature to small sized, cold growing terrestrial that blooms in the winter and spring on a 2 to 4 flowered inflorescence
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Orchids of Europe, North Africa and the Middle East Delforge 2005 as O basilissa; Ophyrs The Bee Orchids of Europe Pederson & Faurholdt 2007
Ophrys omegaifera subsp. dyris (Maire) Del Prete 1984
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Common Name The Atlas Mountain Oprys [Pliny named them Dyris]
Flower Size 1.4" [3.4 cm]
Found in southern Portugal, Spain, Balaeric Islands and Morocco in grasslands, Garrigue, scrub and open woodlands at elevations up to 2000 meters as a minature to rarely medium sized, cold growing terrestrial with an erect stem carrying a few basal, elliptic, acute, speckled leaves and carrying a few conduplicate sheaths that blooms on a to 14" [rarely 20"] [35 to rarely 50 cm] long, [1] 3 to 8 flowered, lax to dense inflorescence occuring in the spring.
Synonyms Ophrys algarvensis D.Tyteca, Benito & M.Walravens 2003; Ophrys atlantica subsp. durieui (Rchb.f.) Maire & Weiller 1959; *Ophrys dyris Maire 1931; Ophrys dyris f. kelleri Maire 1936; Ophrys fusca subsp. dyris (Maire) Soó 1935; Ophrys fusca var. dyris (Maire) O.Bolòs & Vigo 2001; Ophrys omegaifera var. dyris (Maire) Soó 1979 publ. 1980
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; AOS Bulletin Vol 54 No 3 1985 photo as O dyris; Orchids of Europe, North Africa and the Middle East Delforge 2005 as O dyris
Ophrys omegaifera subsp. fleischmannii (Hayek) Del Prete 1984 Photo courtesy of © Bill Temple
Common Name Fleishmann's Oprys [Austrian Headmaster 1900's]
Flower Size 1.2" [3 cm]
Found in Greece, Crete and the Aegean Islands in olive groves, and open pinewoods at elevations up to 1200 meters as a miniature to small sized, cold growing terrestrial that blooms in the winter and spring on an erect, 4 to 6" [10 to 15 cm] long, 3 to 8 flowered inflorescence
Synonyms *Ophrys fleischmannii Hayek 1926; Ophrys fusca subsp. fleischmannii (Hayek) Soó 1926; Ophrys heldreichii H.Fleischm. 1925; Ophrys lutea var. fleischmannii (Hayek) Soó 1973; Ophrys omegaifera var. fleischmannii (Hayek) Soó 1979 publ. 1980
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; AOS Bulletin Vol 54 No 4 1985; Orchids of Europe, North Africa and the Middle East Delforge 2005 as O fleischmannii
Ophrys omegaifera subsp. israelitica (H.Baumann & Künkele) G.Morschek & K.Morschek 1996
Common Name The Omega Ophrys
Flower Size 1" [2.6 cm]
Found in the eastern Aegean Islands, Greece, Cyprus, Turkey, Cyprus, Syria, Lebanon, Israel and Jordan in garrigue, scrub and open pine and cypress woodlands at elevations up to 1300 meters as a miniature to small sized, cold growing terrestrial with an erect stem carrying a few basal, elliptic, acute, speckled leaves and carrying a few conduplicate sheaths that blooms in the winter and early spring on a 8 to 24" [20 to 35 cm] long, 2 to 10 flowered inflorescence
Synonyms *Ophrys israelitica H. Baumann & Künkele 1988
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Orchids of Europe, North Africa and the Middle East Delforge 2005 as O israelitica; Ophyrs The Bee Orchids of Europe Pederson & Faurholdt 2007
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