OPHRYS FERRUM-EQUINUM

Family and Genus:- See- ORCHIDACEAE

Common Name:- Horseshoe bee-orchid

Homotypic Synonyms:- None

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

philosopher Pliny.

Ferrum-equinum (L) Horse-shoe-like.

General description:- A diminutive, tuberous orchid with basal lanceolate leaves

Stem:-

1) 10 - 35 cm.

Leaves:-

1) Basal. lanceolate, acute.

2) Cauline 1 - 2, similar or smaller.

Flowers:-

1) Inflorescence, with 2-8 large flowers in a lax spike.

2) Sepals. 10-17 mm, broadly lanceolate, somewhat reflexed, pinkish-violet to olive-

green; petals shorter and narrower, generally 6-9 mm, lanceolate, rose-purple.

3) Labellum, 11-19 mm, broadly obovate in outline, slightly convex, entire or

shallowly 3-lobed, glabrous, with or without a short apical point, ground colour

brownish-purple to purplish-black, velvety along margins.

a) mirror conspicuous, isolated, consisting of a horseshoe-shaped figure or 2

drop-shaped points ± connected by a narrow band.

4) Column, acute to subobtuse.

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- Calcareous, dry to moist soils in full sunlight to light shade, frequently

inhabiting phrygana (scrub), rocky slopes, olive groves, and open pine woodlands up

to 1000m altitude.

Distribution:- Native to Albania, Greece, and Turkey. Discovered on Crete by Julia

Jones, several years ago in the area of Plaka, in the east.

Flowering time:- March to April

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