Biology:Ophrys lutea

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Short description: Species of flowering plant in the orchid family Orchidaceae

Ophrys lutea
Ophrys lutea Zingaro 180307.jpg
Scientific classification edit
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Orchidaceae
Subfamily: Orchidoideae
Genus: Ophrys
Species:
O. lutea
Binomial name
Ophrys lutea
Cav.[2][3]
Synonyms[4]
  • Arachnites luteus (Cav.) Tod.

Ophrys lutea, the yellow bee-orchid, is a species of orchid native to southern Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East, the range extending from Portugal and Morocco to Syria.[4][5]

Description of the flower

Broad asymmetric lateral sepals, dorsal sepal lowered.

Extended petals, yellow or with a blue-grey or brown spotted velvety macula. Pollinated by male Andrena bees. This species is notable among Ophrys for the fact that the pollinating bees sit on the labellum facing away from the pollinaria instead of facing towards them, and thus collect the pollinaria with their abdomen.

Subspecies

Numerous subspecific names have been proposed, but (As of 2023) the following are currently accepted:[6]

  • Ophrys lutea subsp. aspea (Devillers-Tersch. & Devillers) Faurh. - Tunisia, Libya
  • Ophrys lutea subsp. galilaea (H.Fleischm. & Bornm.) Soó - from Portugal and Morocco to Syria
  • Ophrys lutea subsp. laurensis (Geniez & Melki) Kreutz
  • Ophrys lutea subsp. lutea Cav. - from Portugal and Morocco to Turkey
  • Ophrys lutea subsp. phryganae (Devillers-Tersch. & Devillers) Melki - Italy, Greece, Turkey

Flowering period

March to May

Habitat

The orchid grows in full sun or shade on limey dry or damp soils, pastures, and thin woodland.

Yellow bee-orchid

from the French Wikipedia; technical translation of some words still needing checking

References

Wikidata ☰ Q922285 entry