For the early big-flowered Ophrys fusca s.l. from Southern France and Northern Spain,
which is pollinated by (Mel)Andrena nigroaenea the identity with herbarium sheets belonging to the old name
Ophrys forestieri has 2010 been confirmed by LOWE in J.Eur.Orch. 42 (3/4): 501-522.
At least for these populations Ophrys lupercalis P.DEVILLERS & J.DEVILLERS-TERSCHUREN (1994) is a synonym now,
and most probably for the Sicilian early fusca applies the same.
During my visits to Sicily I have seen only few stems of the species, which is very early in flower,
in suitable biotopes its flower is starting already about Christmas.
At least in Southern Sicily it is not rare.
It is different from
Ophrys fusca, which was described
by LINK in 1800 near Lisbon in Portugal.
Ophrys forestieri, Sicily Niscemi 11.3.02 |
Ophrys forestieri, Sicily Niscemi 11.3.02 | |
Ophrys forestieri, Sicily Niscemi 11.3.02 | Ophrys forestieri, Sicily Niscemi 2.3.03 Photo: Helmut Presser |
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Ophrys forestieri, Sicily Canicattini 7.3.03 Photo: Helmut Presser |
Ophrys forestieri, Sicily Niscemi 2.3.03 Photo: Helmut Presser |
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Ophrys forestieri, F Nice 6.4.01 --- not Sicily --- |
Ophrys lucifera, I Tuscany Monte Argentario 17.3.02 --- not Sicily --- |
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In Natural.belges 81 (Orchid. 13): 251 (2000) DELFORGE mentions Ophrys lucifera for Sicily, too, but without any information about sites. In the 2. edition 2001 of his 'Guide des Orchidées ...' he shows a bloom from Sicily, province of Siracusa. Ophrys lucifera has been described by DEVILLERS-TERSCHUREN & DEVILLERS (2000) in Natural.belges 81 (Orchid. 13): 322 from Monte Argentario (Tuscany). The orchids there reminded me at too big French bilunulata (sensu DELFORGE). Blooms like that I haven't seen in Sicily. | ||
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