Ophrys insectifera
Ophrys insectifera L.
Orchidaceae – Orchid family
Conservation status. Critically Endangered [CR C2a(i); D]. BDA, CITES(2).
Morphology and biology. Perennial plant with 2 ovoid tubers. Stems 15–40 cm high, with 3–5 rosette and 1–3 bract-like green leaves. Inflorescence lax, with 2–10(15) flowers. Sepals green, spreading. Petals linear, 4–7 mm long, brown-violet, velvet-pubescent, pointed forwards. Labellum elongate, like a wasp’s body, trilobed, medium lobe divided in 2 lobules, brown violet, shortly velvet-pubescent, speculum central, bluish-grey, bright. Fl. V (VI), fr. VI (VII). Insect pollinI presumeation. Reproduction by seeds.
Habitats and populations. In Bulgaria is found only on limestone rocky places, extensively used pastures, edges of low-growing deciduous woods and forest glades in spruce forests. Discovered in Bulgaria in the 1970s. Four populations are known, all number less than 25 plants each, these in Golo Bardo Mt number 1–5 individuals.
Distribution in Bulgaria. Znepole region (Golo Bardo Mt), Rhodopi Mts (central – gorges Buinovsko Zhdrelo and Trigradsko Zhdrelo); up to 1100 m alt.
General distribution. Much of Europe, but absent or rare in the extreme north and south, found locally.
Threats. Limited distribution and low densities of the populations; afforestation with conifers and grazing in the localities during the flowering and fruiting season.
Conservation measures taken. Protected species by the Biodiversity Act. The locality near Trigrad is in Trigradsko Zhdrelo Protected Site. Three localities are within sites of the European ecological network Natura 2000 in Bulgaria. An Action plan for conservation of the species is in a process of elaboration.
Conservation measures needed. Studies on the distribution, population status and threatening factors in the particular localities; monitoring of the known populations.
References. Krusheva & Parvanov 1978; Petrova, Venkova, Gerasimova & Stoyanov 2002; Tsvetanov et al. 2005.
Author: Antoaneta Petrova
