home

Ophrys kotschyi subsp. cretica - Cretan Bee Orchid

Phylum: Magnoliophyta - Class: Liliopsida - Order: Orchidales - Family: Orchidaceae

A close-up picture of Ophrys cretica

Both Ophrys cretica and the very similar looking Ophrys ariadne occur on Crete and some of the other islands close by causing confusion with accurate identification. The pattern on the lip, which is more complex on Ophrys ariadne, is the main distinguishing feature.

Cretan Ophrys

Picture by kind permission of Anne Horsfall

Description

This is a very distinctive looking orchid which grows to 40cm.The inflorescence carries up to 10 vivid flowers distinguished by the speculum which is broadly outlined with white against a dark, velvety-looking lip. The petals and sepals are a drab green colour tinged with brownish red.

Distribution

Locally abundant in the Southern Aegean islands.

Habitat

Ophrys cretica grows in sunny or partially shaded habitats and is found on abandoned farmland, poor grassland and in scrub.

Flowering times

This orchid flowers from mid-March to the end of April..

The specimens shown on this page were photographed in Crete.

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 cretica refers to the island of Crete where this orchid was first recorded.

Reference sources

The Plant List

Henrik AErenlund Pedersen & Niels Faurholdt (2007) Ophrys - The Bee Orchids of Europe; Kew

Pierre Delforge (2005) Orchids of Europe, North Africa and the Middle East; A&C Black

Fielding, Turland and Mathew (2005) Flowers of Crete; Kew


Sue Parker's latest ebook is a revised and enlarged edition of Wild Orchids in The Burren. Full details here...

Buy it for just £5.95 on Amazon...

Sue Parker's new ebook is a comprehensive and fully revised edition of her acclaimed field guide to the Wild Orchids of Wales. Full details here...

Buy it for just £5.95 on Amazon...

Sue Parker's 5-star acclaimed field guide to the Wild Orchids of the Algarve is now available as an ebook. Full details here...

Buy it for just £5.95 on Amazon...


Please Help Us: If you have found this information interesting and useful, please consider helping to keep First Nature online by making a small donation towards the web hosting and internet costs.

Any donations over and above the essential running costs will help support the conservation work of Plantlife, the Rivers Trust and charitable botanic gardens - as do author royalties and publisher proceeds from books by Pat and Sue.

© 1995 - 2024 First Nature: a not-for-profit volunteer-run resource

Please help to keep this free resource online...

Terms of use - Privacy policy - Disable cookies - Links policy