Family |
Orchidaceae
Ophrys lutea subsp. galilaea
(H.Fleischm. & Bornm.) Soó
Ophrys lutea subsp. galilaea (H.Fleischm. & Bornm.) Soó
First published in Notizbl. Bot. Gart. Berlin-Dahlem 9: 906 (1926).
(Nouvelle Flore du Liban et de la Syrie, vol. 1, p. 330, Pl. CVIII, 4; 1966)
Description
Synonyms: Ophrys galilaea H.Fleischm. & Bornm.
Life-form & habit: Tuberous perennial with shortly stalked tubers and an erect stem 10–30 cm tall.
Leaves: Three to five basal leaves in a rosette, oblong, with triangular and sometimes finely pointed tips. One or two short, sheathing stem leaves.
Inflorescence & flowers: Green bracts reach or exceed the ovary, which is 5–10 mm long. Sepals green: the erect middle sepal elliptic, 5–6 mm long; the lateral sepals oblique-ovate, 6–7 mm. Petals green, linear, one-veined and shorter than the sepals. Lip convex, no more than 1 cm long and 1 cm wide when spread, with long yellowish-green side lobes surrounding an oval, brown, velvety centre and a paler, hairless central mark. Its middle lobe extends slightly beyond the side lobes as an upturned, broadened, shallowly two-lobed brownish appendage. Column short, with a very blunt rostellum.
Flowering and habitat
Phenology: February–March.
Habitat & elevation: Various soils and habitats.
Distribution
Lebanese distribution: Beirut and its immediate surroundings, Nahr el Kelb, Nahr Ibrahim, Tripoli, Mkalles, Jamhour, Beit Meri, Abey, Antoura and Bkerke.
Syrian distribution: Near Haffe, Qadmous, Hosn Soleiman, Deir Marna and near Harim.
Recorded locations: Beit Meri.
Native range: Albania, Algeria, Corse, Cyprus, East Aegean Is., Greece, Italy, Kriti, Lebanon-Syria, Morocco, NW. Balkan Pen., Palestine, Portugal, Sardegna, Sicilia, Spain, Tunisia, Türkiye and Türkiye-in-Europe.