Ophrys speculum Link 1799 publ. 1800 Photo by © Pieter C. Brouwer and his Photo Website
EARLY
Common Name The Mirrored Ophrys - in France Ophrys mirroir - in Germany Spiegel-ragwurz
Flower Size 1 1/4" [3.2 cm]
A miniature to small sized, cold to cool growing terrestrial orchid from Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Portugal, Spain, Balaeric Islands, France, Corsica, Sardinia, Sicily, Italy, Yugoslavia, Albania, the eastern Aegean Islands, Greece, Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, and Jordan in short, poor grasslands, banks, abandoned cultivation, garrigue, scrub and open woodlands at elevations of sealevel to 1200 meters with 3 to 5 basal, oblong-lanceolate leaves that blooms in the early spring on a terminal, erect, 8 to 12" [20 to 30 cm] long, loosely 2 to 15 flowered inflorescence .
Synonyms Arachnites speculum Tod. 1842; Ophrys ciliata Bivona-Bernardi 1816; Ophrys speculum var. lutescens J.J.Rodr. 1904; Ophrys vernixia subsp. ciliata Kerguelen
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Encyclopedia of Cultivated Orchids Hawkes 1965; AOS Bulletin Vol 38 No 9 1969; Die Orchideen #2 5-8 tafel 3 Rudolph Schlechter 1971 drawing; AOS Bulletin Vol 51 No 1 1982 photo; AOS Bulletin Vol 54 No 3 1985 as O vernixia; AOS Bulletin Vol 54 No 2 1985 photo; Orchids of Europe, North Africa and the Middle East Delforge 2005; Ophyrs The Bee Orchids of Europe Pederson & Faurholdt 2007
Ophrys speculum subsp. lusitanica Danesch 1969
Common Name The Lusitanica Ophrys [An Ancient Region of Portugal and Spain]
Flower Size 1 1/4" [3.2 cm]
Found in Portugal and Spain in short, poor grasslands and Garrigue at altitudes up to 800 meters as a small to medium sized, cold to cool growing terrestrial orchid in scrub and open meadows in and around limestone deposits with tuberous roots carrying large, oblong, subobtuse basal leaves and lanceoalte, acute cauline leaves that blooms in the spring on an erect, 2 to 6 flowered inflorescence with showy, waxy flowers. This is the largest plant and longest inflorescence of these subspecies.
Synonyms Ophrys ciliata subsp. lusitanica (O.Danesch & E.Danesch) H.Baumann, Künkele & R.Lorenz 2004; Ophrys lusitanica (O.Danesch & E.Danesch) Paulus & Gack 1990; Ophrys scolopax Willd.; Ophrys speculum subsp. lusitanica Danesch 1969; Ophrys vernixia Brotero 1804; Ophrys vernixia subsp. lusitanica (O. & E. Danesch) Baumann & Künkele 1986
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Orchids of Europe, North Africa and the Middle East Delforge 2005 as O vernixia; Ophyrs The Bee Orchids of Europe Pederson & Faurholdt 2007
Ophrys speculum Link subsp. regis-ferdinandii Acht. & Kellerer ex Kuzmanov 1971
Common Name Ferdinand's Ophrys {King of Bulgaria mid 1800 to mid 1900's]
Flower Size 1" [2.5 cm]
Found in the easternmost Aegean Islands and neighboring SW Turkey in short, poor grasslands, garrigue, scrub, banks and open woodlands at elevations up to 400 meters as a miniature to small sized, cool to cold growing terrestrial with a few basal leaves and an erect, terminal, lax inflorescence with 2 to 11 flowers opening in spring.
Synonyms Ophrys ciliata subsp. regis-ferdinandii (Acht. & Kellerer ex Renz) H.Baumann, Künkele & R.Lorenz 2004; Ophrys regis-ferdinandii (Renz) Buttler 1983; *Ophrys speculum f. regis-ferdinandii Renz 1943; Ophrys vernixia subsp. regis-ferdinandii (Acht. & Kellerer ex Renz) Renz & Taubenheim 1983
References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Orchids of Europe, North Africa and the Middle East Delforge 2005 as O regis-ferdinandii; Ophyrs The Bee Orchids of Europe Pederson & Faurholdt 2007
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