Kevin Wade
Well-known member
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First orchid of the season? (2 Viewers)
- Thread starter Kevin Wade
- Start date
Kevin Wade
Well-known member
Just had an expert say that this looks good for Ophrys malacitana - the Málaga Dull Ophrys!
Simon Wates
Well-known member
That's very early isn't it?
Down here in southern Portugal none of the Ophrys fusca group flower that early - earliest I've seen them is late January.
I think caution is needed on calling species within the fuscus group - I prefer to stick to the Flora iberica, which divides O.fusca into 2 species only, fusca and atlantica - the first with a few mere forms. Many many forms have been described, often endemic to small regions and showing instability and intergrades. The whole O.fusca group is fascinating however and is clearly in active speciation - A great study group for someone deep into systematics etc.
Down here in southern Portugal none of the Ophrys fusca group flower that early - earliest I've seen them is late January.
I think caution is needed on calling species within the fuscus group - I prefer to stick to the Flora iberica, which divides O.fusca into 2 species only, fusca and atlantica - the first with a few mere forms. Many many forms have been described, often endemic to small regions and showing instability and intergrades. The whole O.fusca group is fascinating however and is clearly in active speciation - A great study group for someone deep into systematics etc.
Last edited:
al-Natural
Registered Member
Hiya,
As Simon says, the O. fusca group here inland starts to bloom in mid January in the low valleys. In Sierra Nevada and high plains not efore late february-march.
This autumn is being extremely mild in Southern Spain and could influenciate their blooming. About the ID on Dull Orchid... uhmmmm! the spp. fusca has so wide variation and crosspolinization, even locally, that couldn't be posible morphologically to separate them!
Saludos!
Jorge
As Simon says, the O. fusca group here inland starts to bloom in mid January in the low valleys. In Sierra Nevada and high plains not efore late february-march.
This autumn is being extremely mild in Southern Spain and could influenciate their blooming. About the ID on Dull Orchid... uhmmmm! the spp. fusca has so wide variation and crosspolinization, even locally, that couldn't be posible morphologically to separate them!
Saludos!
Jorge
Kevin Wade
Well-known member
Kevin Wade
Well-known member
Ophrys malacitana
I took this picture this evening - there are three plants in flower today, after I noticed the first to flower about a week ago. The following reference provides an interesting description of the difference in their morphology to O. fuscus:
Lowe, M. R. (2010): Studies in Ophrys L. sectio Pseudophrys Godfery - I.
Ophrys forestieri and O. malacitana spec. nov. - J. Eur. Orch. 42(3/4): 541-
562.
I took this picture this evening - there are three plants in flower today, after I noticed the first to flower about a week ago. The following reference provides an interesting description of the difference in their morphology to O. fuscus:
Lowe, M. R. (2010): Studies in Ophrys L. sectio Pseudophrys Godfery - I.
Ophrys forestieri and O. malacitana spec. nov. - J. Eur. Orch. 42(3/4): 541-
562.
