Last week two intriguing photographs of an orchid from Smigies in the Akamas peninsula, Pafos, Cyprus arrived in my in-box as an identification query to RNG herbarium. The plant was growing under pine trees. The photographs were taken in March 2014 (Fig. 1) by Andreas Lambrianides and I was asked for an ID.

Mystery orchid photo 1 Mystery orchid photo 2

Ophrys is a very variable genus and each species can also show a good deal of variation in floral morphology, particularly on a one-off basis where an individual plant can have an odd-shaped set of flowers. My first ports of call were the Ophrys specimens in Reading University Herbarium (RNG) and the well known blog ‘Orchids of Cyprus‘ which has excellent records of the species on the island. However the more comprehensive Flora of Cyprus lists several additional species and a large number of hybrids (Table 1) showing the difficulty of the job of identification in this eye-catching genus.

Flora of Cyprus Dynamic Checklist The Orchids of Cyprus Orchids of North Cyprus Scientific name * Ophrys × pseudofusca nothosubsp. “pano-lefkaron” * Ophrys ×”cailliauana” * Ophrys ×”jansenii” * Ophrys ×”kreutziana” * Ophrys ×”lefkarensis” * Ophrys ×”willingiorum” * Ophrys ×battandieri E. G. Camus * Ophrys ×cailliauana Delforge * Ophrys ×creutzburgii H. Baumann & Künkele * Ophrys ×demangeana Delforge * Ophrys ×jansenii Delforge * Ophrys ×kreutziana Delforge * Ophrys ×lefkarensis Segers & H. Walraven * Ophrys ×pano-lefkaron Bourdon * Ophrys ×paphosiana H. Baumann & Künkele * Ophrys ×pseudofusca Albert & E. G. Camus * Ophrys ×quadriloba E. G. Camus * Ophrys ×willingiorum H. Baumann & Künkele * Ophrys aegaea sensu auct. * Ophrys alasiatica × umbilicata * * Ophrys alasiatica Kreutz & al. * * * Ophrys apifera Huds. * Ophrys apifera Huds. var. apifera * Ophrys apifera var. bicolor (Nägeli) E. Nelson * Ophrys apifera var. chlorantha (Hegetschw.) Richt. * Ophrys argolica × bornmuelleri * Ophrys argolica H. Fleischm. * Ophrys argolica subsp. elegans (Renz) E. Nelson * Ophrys argolica subsp. elegans × bornmuelleri subsp. grandiflora * * * Ophrys attica Boiss. & Orph. * Ophrys attica subsp. rhodia (H. Baumann & Künkele) Shifman * Ophrys bornmuelleri × lutea * Ophrys bornmuelleri × lutea subsp. minor * Ophrys bornmuelleri × morio * Ophrys bornmuelleri × sicula * Ophrys bornmuelleri × sphegodes * Ophrys bornmuelleri × sphegodes subsp. transhyrcana * Ophrys bornmuelleri × umbilicata * * * Ophrys bornmuelleri M. Schulze * Ophrys bornmuelleri M. Schulze subsp. bornmuelleri * Ophrys bornmuelleri subsp. bornmuelleri × subsp. grandiflora * Ophrys bornmuelleri subsp. grandiflora (H. Fleischm. & Soó) Taubenheim & Renz * * Ophrys bornmuelleri subsp. grandiflora × sphegodes subsp. mammosa * Ophrys bornmuelleri subsp. grandiflora × umbilicata subsp. attica * Ophrys bornmuelleri subsp. grandiflora × umbilicata subsp. umbilicata * Ophrys ciliata Biv. * * * Ophrys cinereophila Paulus & Gack * * * Ophrys elegans (Renz) H. Baumann & Künkele * * * Ophrys flavomarginata (Renz) H. Baumann & Künkele * Ophrys fuciflora subsp. bornmuelleri (M. Schulze) B. Willing & E. Willing * Ophrys fuciflora subsp. grandiflora (H. Fleischm. & Soó) Faurh. * Ophrys fuciflora var. grandiflora * Ophrys funerea Viv. * Ophrys fusca × lutea * Ophrys fusca × omegaifera * Ophrys fusca × sphegodes * Ophrys fusca ×subsp. bayeri (H. Baumann) J. J. Wood * Ophrys fusca Link * Ophrys fusca Link subsp. fusca * Ophrys fusca subsp. fleischmannii (Hayek) Soó * Ophrys fusca subsp. fusca × lutea subsp. minor * Ophrys fusca subsp. fusca × omegaifera * Ophrys fusca subsp. iricolor (Desf.) K. Richt. * Ophrys fusca subsp. iricolor × sphegodes subsp. mammosa * * * Ophrys herae M. Hirth & H. Spaeth * Ophrys holoserica subsp. grandiflora (H. Fleischm. & Soó) Faurh. * * * Ophrys hystera Kreutz & Ruedi Peter * * * Ophrys iricolor * Ophrys iricolor × mammosa * * * Ophrys israelitica H. Baumann & Künkele * Ophrys kotschyi × mammosa * Ophrys kotschyi × sphegodes * Ophrys kotschyi × sphegodes subsp. mammosa * Ophrys kotschyi × umbilicata * Ophrys kotschyi × umbilicata subsp. attica * Ophrys kotschyi × umbilicata subsp. lapethica * Ophrys kotschyi × umbilicata subsp. umbilicata * * * Ophrys kotschyi H. Fleischm. & Soó * * * Ophrys lapethica Gölz & H. R. Reinhard * Ophrys lapethica Gölz & H. R. Reinhard subsp. lapethica * Ophrys levantina × umbilicata * * * Ophrys levantina Gölz & H. R. Reinhard * Ophrys lutea × sphegodes * Ophrys lutea Cav. * Ophrys lutea subsp. galilaea (H. Fleischm. & Bornm.) Soó * Ophrys lutea subsp. minor (Tod.) O. Danesch & E. Danesch * Ophrys lutea subsp. minor × sphegodes subsp. transhyrcana * * Ophrys mammosa (14) * Ophrys mammosa subsp. posteria B. Baumann & H. Baumann * Ophrys melana (probably O. melena which is usually treated as Ophrys lutea subsp. melena Renz) * Ophrys morio × sicula * * * Ophrys morio Kreutz & Paulus * Ophrys omegaifera H. Fleischm. * Ophrys omegaifera sensu auct. * Ophrys omegaifera subsp. fleischmannii (Hayek) Del Prete * Ophrys omegaifera subsp. israelitica (H. Baumann & Künkele) G. Morschek & K. Morschek * Ophrys reinholdii subsp. straussii (H. Fleischm. & Bornm.) E. Nelson * * * Ophrys rhodia (H. Baumann & Künkele) P. Delforge * Ophrys scolopax sensu R. D. Meikle, Flora of Cyprus 2. 1985 * Ophrys scolopax subsp. rhodia (H. Baumann & Künkele) H. A. Pedersen & Faurh. * * * Ophrys sicula Tineo * Ophrys sintenisii sensu auct. * Ophrys speculum Link * Ophrys sphegodes × umbilicata subsp. umbilicata * Ophrys sphegodes ×subsp. „alasiatica“ * Ophrys sphegodes Mill. * Ophrys sphegodes subsp. aeculapiiformis G. Morschek & K. Morschek * Ophrys sphegodes subsp. alasiatica (Kreutz & al.) H. Baumann & R. Lorenz * Ophrys sphegodes subsp. herae (M. Hirth & H. Spaeth) Kreutz * Ophrys sphegodes subsp. mammosa (Desf.) Soó ex E. Nelson * Ophrys sphegodes subsp. mammosa × sphegodes subsp. transhyrcana * Ophrys sphegodes subsp. sphegodes sensu R. D. Meikle, Flora of Cyprus 2. 1985 * Ophrys sphegodes subsp. transhyrcana (Czerniak.) Soó * Ophrys straussii H. Fleischm. & Bornm. * Ophrys subfusca subsp. cinereophila (Paulus & Gack) Kreutz * * Ophrys tenthredinifera Willd. * Ophrys transhyrcana Czerniak. * Ophrys transhyrcana subsp. morio (Kreutz & Paulus) Kreutz * * * Ophrys umbilicata Desf. * Ophrys umbilicata Desf. subsp. umbilicata * Ophrys umbilicata f. flavomarginata * Ophrys umbilicata subsp. attica (Boiss. & Orph.) J. J. Wood * Ophrys umbilicata subsp. flavomarginata (Renz) Faurh. * Ophrys umbilicata subsp. lapethica (Gölz & H. R. Reinhard) Faurh. * Ophrys umbilicata subsp. rhodia × subsp. umbilicata * Ophrys umbilicata subsp. rhodia H. Baumann & Künkele

Given the choice of taxa and lack of match to known species I then consulted our local Ophrys expert (see Devey et al. 2008) and visiting professor, Professor Richard Bateman, who suggested this was a likely hybrid and said “The size and shape of the lateral petals make clear that, molecularly, it is a member of the sphegodes group. Morphologically, it fits within the argolica group, the only member of which that is supposed to occur in Cyprus is Op. elegans, whose small, slender flowers do not fit this plant. Had I been sent the images blind I would have said that they represented either Op. morisii or Op. aveyronensis. The former is the standard form of argolica on Sardinia and Corsica, the latter a much-prized rare ‘endemic’ of likely hybrid origin (involving members of the sphegodes and fuciflora groups) in southern France. Neither geography fits this plant.” So I gained some extra images of other Ophrys growing in the area (Fig. 2).

Other local orchid 1 – suggested name by Dr. Hannes F.Paulus is O. lapethica with a little bit pressed flower Other local orchid 2 – suggested name by Dr. Hannes F.Paulus is O. elegans Other local orchid 3 – Suggested name by Dr. Hannes F.Paulus is a damaged O. lapethica Other local orchid cf Op. exaltata but Dr. Hannes F. Paulus writes this is surely not O. exaltata but a clear O. elegans ! (this demonstrates how challenging these species can be). Ophrys lapethica confirmed by Dr Hannes F. Paulus Other local orchid – this one has characteristics of Ophrys elegans

Further discussion with Richard Bateman yielded the following opinion: “….these extra images at least make clear that bona fide exaltata is present. I still can’t think of a likely second parent that could confer the necessary morphological characters, so I guess we must tentatively conclude that the mystery plant is an extreme form of exaltata that resembles aveyronenis and morisii; in other words, further evidence of how nonsensical Ophrys taxonomy has become.”

Orchids can often generate great taxonomic challenges due to interspecific and even intergeneric hybridization. However they are often eye-catching and something people want to be able to identify with confidence. With Ophrys, at least, the more specimens you see the more convinced you become that the plants are not following any rule book when it comes to behaving as species, and genes flow between one species and another to form recognizable hybrids and sometime these give rise to new species.

Andreas has an excellent photographic portfolio on flikr: flickrhivemind.net/User/andreas%20lambrianides/Interesting – do take a look at his wider botanical interests.

References

Anderson, B & Anderson, E. (2013) Orchids of North Cyprus. http://www.thetravelmag.com/Orchids_of_north_cyprus.htm (Accessed 7th June 2013)

Devey, DS, RM Bateman, MF Fay, JA Hawkins (2008) Friends or relatives? Phylogenetics and species delimitation in the controversial European orchid genus Ophrys. Annals of Botany 101 (3), 385-402

Hand R., Hadjikyriakou G. N. & Christodoulou C. S. (ed.) 2011– (continuously updated): Flora of Cyprus – a dynamic checklist. Published at http://www.flora-of-cyprus.eu/. (Accessed 7th June 2013)

Pettemerides, M. (2013) The Orchids of Cyprus http://cyprus-orchids.blogspot.co.uk/ (Accessed 7th June 2013)

The Plant List (2013). Version 1.1. Published on the Internet; http://www.theplantlist.org/ (Accessed 7th June 2013).

All images are copyright Andreas Lambrianides and may not be reused without permission.

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