Ophrys kotschyi - Cyprus Bee Orchid - (Orchidaceae)

This orchid is similar to the Cretan Bee Orchid (Ophrys cretica) but has green sepals and only occurs in Cyprus around the Larnaca area.

Cyprus Bee Orchid

Picture by kind permission of Anne Horsfall

The other thing that this orchid has in common with Ophrys Cretica is its pollinator, perhaps again a consequence of the similarity of these two species. The Cyprus Bee Orchid blooms from the middle of March until mid-April and can be found in poor grassland, open pine woodland and abandoned farmland. It tolerates dry or moist conditions well, occasionally growing on sandstone but more commonly on calcareous substrates.

The specimen shown on this page was photographed in Cyprus.