Biology:Ophrys fusca

From HandWiki
Short description: Species of plant in the family Orchidaceae

Ophrys fusca
Ophrys lupercalis 3.jpg
Flower of Ophrys fusca
Scientific classification edit
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Orchidaceae
Subfamily: Orchidoideae
Genus: Ophrys
Species:
O. fusca
Binomial name
Ophrys fusca
Synonyms[1]

Ophrys fusca, commonly known as the sombre bee-orchid or the dark bee-orchid, is a species of orchid native to the Mediterranean from southwestern Europe and northern Africa to western Asia.[2][3] Most subspecies of the Ophrys fusca are pollinated by males Andrena bees.[4]

Etymology

The genus name Ophrys comes from Greek and means 'eyebrow' - a reference to the hairy fringe of the lip of the flower of many orchids in this genus. The specific epithet fusca means 'dusky' or 'brown', while the subspecies name iricolor refers to the iridescent colouring of the speculum.[5]

Pouyannian mimicry

The somber bee orchid imitates the appearance of a female common sand bee (Andrena flavipes) to attract males for pollination.[6] Further pollinators are the sand bee (Andrena nigroaenea) and the spring silk bee (Colletes cunicularius).[7] This is an example of Pouyannian mimicry

Subspecies

The following subspecies are currently recognized:[1]

  • Ophrys fusca subsp. blitopertha (Paulus & Gack) Faurh. & H.A.Pedersen
  • Ophrys fusca subsp. cinereophila (Paulus & Gack) Faurh.
  • Ophrys fusca subsp. durieui (Rchb.f.) Soó
  • Ophrys fusca subsp. funerea (Viv.) Arcang.
  • Ophrys fusca subsp. fusca
  • Ophrys fusca subsp. iricolor (Desf.) K.Richt.
  • Ophrys fusca subsp. pallida (Raf.) E.G.Camus

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 "Ophrys fusca Link" (in en). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. http://www.plantsoftheworldonline.org/taxon/647906-1. 
  2. Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
  3. Altervista Flora Italiana, Ofride scura, Sombre Bee Orchid
  4. Sto¨kl, J. (June 2005). "Pollinator attracting odour signals in sexually deceptive orchids of the Ophrys fusca group". Plant Systematics and Evolution 254 (1–2): 105–120. doi:10.1007/s00606-005-0330-8. 
  5. "Ophrys fusca subsp. iricolor - Rainbow Ophrys". https://www.first-nature.com/flowers/ophrys-iricolor.php#:~:text=The%20genus%20name%20Ophrys%20comes,iridescent%20colouring%20of%20the%20speculum.. 
  6. Jean Claessens (December 11, 2016). Orchid pollination 21: Pseudocopulation of Ophrys araneola by an Andrena-male.
  7. Helmut Baumann, Siegfried Künkele und Richard Lorenz: Orchideen Europas mit angrenzenden Gebieten. Verlag Eugen Ulmer, Stuttgart, 2006, p 156–160.

Wikidata ☰ Q900777 entry