Ophrys lutea
Encyclopedia
Ophrys lutea, the Yellow Ophrys, is a species of orchid native to Europe
s, dorsal sepal lowered.
Extended petal
s, yellow or with a blue-grey or brown spotted velvety macula. Pollinated by male Andrena
bees. This species is notable among Ophrys
for the fact that the pollinating bees sit on the labellum
facing away from the pollinaria instead of facing towards them, and thus collect the pollinaria with their abdomen
.
in the north-west.
from the French Wikipedia; technical translation of some words still needing checking
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
Description of the flower
Broad asymmetric lateral sepalSepal
A sepal is a part of the flower of angiosperms . Collectively the sepals form the calyx, which is the outermost whorl of parts that form a flower. Usually green, sepals have the typical function of protecting the petals when the flower is in bud...
s, dorsal sepal lowered.
Extended petal
Petal
Petals are modified leaves that surround the reproductive parts of flowers. They often are brightly colored or unusually shaped to attract pollinators. Together, all of the petals of a flower are called a corolla. Petals are usually accompanied by another set of special leaves called sepals lying...
s, yellow or with a blue-grey or brown spotted velvety macula. Pollinated by male Andrena
Andrena
Andrena is the largest genus in the family Andrenidae, and is nearly worldwide in distribution, with the notable exceptions of Oceania and South America. With over 1,300 species, it is one of the largest of all bee genera...
bees. This species is notable among Ophrys
Ophrys
The genus Ophrys is a large group of orchids from the alliance Orchis in the subtribe Orchidinae. There are many natural hybrids. The type species is Ophrys insectifera L.1753...
for the fact that the pollinating bees sit on the labellum
Labellum
Labellum is the Latin diminutive of labium, meaning lip. These are anatomical terms used descriptively in biology, for example in Entomology and botany.-Botany:...
facing away from the pollinaria instead of facing towards them, and thus collect the pollinaria with their abdomen
Abdomen
In vertebrates such as mammals the abdomen constitutes the part of the body between the thorax and pelvis. The region enclosed by the abdomen is termed the abdominal cavity...
.
Subspecies
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Distribution
Widely distributed in the Mediterranean area and in Atlantic regions of southern Europe, as far as the CharenteCharente
Charente is a department in southwestern France, in the Poitou-Charentes region, named after the Charente River, the most important river in the department, and also the river beside which the department's two largest towns, Angoulême and Cognac, are sited.-History:Charente is one of the original...
in the north-west.