Ophrys reinholdii Reinhold's Bee-orchid Reinhold's Bee-orchid
This striking Bee Orchid with its sharp contrasting colours and distinctive upside-down U shaped markings on the labellum grows in central and eastern Mediterranean regions such as Greece, Cyprus, Turkey, Croatia and north western Iran and parts of Iraq. In this woodland the orchids had been attacked by wild boar which enjoy eating the orchid rhizomes so quite a few were lying rootless on the ground. It is usually pollinated by species of Anthophorid bees of the Eupalovskia genus.
Taxonomy: There are two sub species other of this Bee Orchid beside this which is ssp reinholdii. They are ssp straussii and ssp antiochiana. These sub species are recognised by some taxonomic authorities but not all. The species: Ophrys reinholdii Spruner ex Fleischm., Oesterr. Bot. Z. 57: 5 (1908) itself is recognised by most taxonomies such as World Checklist and Plantlist 1.1.
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| Ophrys reinholdii Reinhold's Bee-orchid front view | Ophrys reinholdii Reinhold's Bee-orchid side view | Ophrys reinholdii Reinhold's Bee-orchid underneath labellum |
Woodland en route to Mount Olympos 4th April 2015
Added on 14th April 2015