Ophrys apifera
Bee Orchid ( Ophrys apifera )
The Bee Orchid ( Ophrys apifera ) is a late- flowering species of the genus Ragwurzen ( Ophrys ) of the orchid family ( Orchidaceae).
To draw attention to the particular vulnerability of this type, the bee orchid was selected by the Working Group on Indigenous orchids orchid of the year 1995.
Description
The Bee Orchid is a perennial, herbaceous growing Knollengeophyt which reaches heights of growth between 20 to 50 cm. Two to four leaves arranged in a rosette and 6 to 13 cm long. The basic color of the leaves is green with silvery " sheen ". The rosette is already driving out in early autumn.
The inflorescences are lockerblütige ears with three to ten flowers. The sepals are pale to bright pink in color and usually repulsed far with a fully open flower. The petals are green to pink, often hairy and 3-8 mm long. The lip is spread trilobal and 10 to 15 mm long. The middle lobe is dark brown, the Basalfeld is light brown. The time is gräulichblau with bright border, the Basalfeld embraces more or less. The appendage is very large, from the beginning but usually not visible because the edge of the middle lobe turns backwards. The side flaps have large, hairy hump.
Reproduction
The flowers of the bee orchid are rarely cross-pollinated by insects. Normally cause self -pollination. Here, the Pollinienstiele bend down and so bring the pollinia into contact with the scar. This is very rare in orchids, as most here is based on the propagation of cross-pollination.
Occurrence and distribution
Base rich dry grasslands and poor grass, even in light deciduous and coniferous forests. Preferably not too dry locations.
Climatically favored areas in Europe, North Africa, Middle East, Caucasia. In Germany is home to most locations in Baden- Württemberg, Thuringia, south of Lower Saxony and Saarland, moreover, the species is rare to very rare. In Austria, very rare or extinct ( some copies in the south of Styria).
Others
The number of flowering plants varies considerably from year to year. The drier the winter and spring, the lower the number. In the summer of 2003 the number was very low. Only slightly shaded or somewhat moister sites you could watch several flowering plants. The number of plants was severely depleted in some regions; in autumn exaggerated significantly less leaf rosettes than in the previous fall.
The plants are sometimes not very durable. Often they bloom only a few times and then disappear or they need again a few years until the next flowering. Reason for this may be the self-pollination. The cost of energy for seed production weakens the plants.
Since the early 90s the colonization of new sites is observed reinforced where it has never been seen before. At appropriate sites, the number of plants may rise significantly in just a few years. From seed to plant flowerable it only takes three to four years.
Subspecies and varieties
There have been described several subspecies and varieties of bee orchid:
- Ophrys apifera ssp. jurana Ruppert (1911 )
- Ophrys apifera var aurita ( Moggr. ) Gremli (1887 ) - narrow but elongated sepals
- Ophrys apifera var bicolor E. Nelson ( 1962) - two-color lip
- Ophrys apifera var botteronii ( Chodat ) Fire (1905 ) - similar friburgensis
- Ophrys apifera var flavescens Rosbach ( 1880) - yellow lip
- Ophrys apifera var friburgensis Freyhold (1879 ) - petals shaped like sepals
- Ophrys apifera var trollii ( Hegetschw. ) Rchb.f. ( 1851) - time almost non-existent, an appendage of the lip stretched forward
Ophrys apifera var aurita
Ophrys apifera var bicolor
Ophrys apifera var botteronii
Ophrys apifera var trollii
Endangering
By the late flowering time locations are often mowed before flowering or seed maturity. Progressive succession takes care of the plants the light and they will disappear sooner or later.