Ophrys cretica
Ophrys cretica is a species of flowering plant in the family Orchidaceae, native to Crete, the East Aegean Islands, and mainland Greece. It has been included in Ophrys kotschyi, as either one or two subspecies.
Description
Ophrys cretica grows to tall. It has two to ten flowers in a spike, that may be lax or dense. The sepals are green to brownish violet in colour; the lateral sepals may be bicoloured, green above the midline and brownish violet below. The lip or labellum is generally about as long as it is wide, in the range. Its base colour is dark brown to purple black. The speculum or mirror is roughly H-shaped, but frequently with more complex embellishments. The upper part reaches the base of the lip. The central parts of the speculum are greyish violet to reddish brown; the whole has a white border.
Taxonomy
The species was first described by Friedrich K. M. Vierhapper in 1916 as Ophrys spruneri f. cretica. In 1962, Erich Nelson raised it to the full species, Ophrys cretica. Others later treated it as one or two subspecies of O. kotschyi., Plants of the World Online accepted it as an independent species.
Distribution and habitat
Ophrys cretica is native to Crete, the East Aegean Islands north to Chios, and the southeast of mainland Greece. It is found on calcareous soils from sea level to altitudes of up to. Typical habitats include grassland, garrigue, and pesticide-free olive groves.
Ecology
Like O. kotschyi, which has similarly coloured and patterned flowers, O. cretica is pollinated by bees of the genus Melecta, particularly M. albifrons and M. tuberculata.