Small Cretan Ragwort

Small Cretan Ragwort
Systematics
Family :	Orchids (orchidaceae)
Subfamily :	Orchidoideae
Tribe :	Orchideae
Sub tribus :	Orchidinae
Genre :	Ragwurzen ( Ophrys )
Type :	Small Cretan Ragwort
Scientific name
	Ophrys cretensis
	( H. Baumann & Künkele ) Paulus

The Small Cretan Orchid ( Ophrys cretensis ) belongs to the genus of Ragwurzen ( Ophrys ) in the family of orchids (Orchidaceae). The German trivial name may cause confusion with the Cretan Orchid ( Ophrys cretica ), the kleinwüchsigere but großblütigere of the "Cretan Ragwurzen" is.

features

The Little Cretan Ragwurz is a perennial tuberous geophyte that reaches heights of (15 to) 20 to 50 centimeters. The plant is (2- to) 6- to 11- flowered . The lip is pronounced with 6 to 9 (11) x 7 to 10 millimeter in size, circular to ovoid wide, unsplit, reddish brown to schwärzlichpurpurn and rounded at the base. It has shiny, H-shaped markings. The lateral petals (petals) are 1.5 to 2.5 millimeters wide and greenish in color. The sepals (sepals) are occasionally two-colored: green above, brownish below the middle.

The flowering period extends from February to April, a distinguishing feature from the later flowering Ophrys gortynia , whose lip base also tapers in a wedge shape.

Occurrence

The little Cretan ragwort occurs on Crete , Karpathos (a find with an unclear status ), Paros , Amorgos and possibly other Aegean islands. The species grows in bushes, olive groves, grass corridors and phrygana at altitudes from 0 to 900 meters above sea level.

biology

The pollinator of this ragwort is the sand bee Andrena vachali subsp. creticola .

Taxonomy

Ophrys cretensis was raised to the rank of a separate species by Paul due to the unique combination of characteristics and the specific pollinator . Other authors put it as a subspecies to the Great Spider-Ragwurz (as Ophrys sphegodes subsp. Cretensis H.Baumann & Künkele ). Delforge (2005) places the clan in the relationship of Ophrys mammosa because of the similar lip shape .

supporting documents

Pierre Delforge: Guide des Orchidees d'Europe, d'Afrique du Nord et du Proche-Orient. 3rd edition, entierement revue et corrigée. Delachaux et Niestlé, Paris 2005, ISBN 2-603-01323-8 , p. 566.
Ralf Jahn, Peter Schönfelder: Excursion flora for Crete . With contributions by Alfred Mayer and Martin Scheuerer. Eugen Ulmer, Stuttgart (Hohenheim) 1995, ISBN 3-8001-3478-0 , p. 436 .
Henrik Ærenlund Pedersen, Niels Faurholdt: Ophrys. The Bee Orchids of Europe . Kew Publishing, 2007, ISBN 978-1-84246-152-5 , pp. 193-194 .

Individual evidence

^ Helmut Baumann, Siegfried Künkele, Richard Lorenz: The orchids of Europe. Eugen Ulmer, Stuttgart (Hohenheim) 2006, ISBN 978-3-8001-4162-3 , p. 196.
↑ CAJ Kreutz: The orchids of Rhodes and Karpathos / The orchids of Rhodes and Karpathos. Raalte & Landgraaf: Seckel & Kreutz Publishers, 2002, ISBN 90-805149-2-6 , pp. 84-85.
^ ^A ^b Hannes F. Paulus : observations and experiments on pseudo-copulation on Ophrys species (Orchidaceae) Crete (II) with a description of Ophrys sitiaca nov. spec. from the Ophrys fusca-omegaifera-form circle. In: Announcements of the Working Group Native Orchids Baden-Württemberg. Vol. 20, No. 4, 1988, pp. 817-882.

[Baumann_et_al-1] Helmut Baumann, Siegfried Künkele, Richard Lorenz: The orchids of Europe. Eugen Ulmer, Stuttgart (Hohenheim) 2006, ISBN 978-3-8001-4162-3 , p. 196.

[Kreutz-Rhodos-2] CAJ Kreutz: The orchids of Rhodes and Karpathos / The orchids of Rhodes and Karpathos. Raalte & Landgraaf: Seckel & Kreutz Publishers, 2002, ISBN 90-805149-2-6 , pp. 84-85.

[Paulus1988-3] A ^b Hannes F. Paulus : observations and experiments on pseudo-copulation on Ophrys species (Orchidaceae) Crete (II) with a description of Ophrys sitiaca nov. spec. from the Ophrys fusca-omegaifera-form circle. In: Announcements of the Working Group Native Orchids Baden-Württemberg. Vol. 20, No. 4, 1988, pp. 817-882.