Author: Terence Rodbard
Zygaena trifoli decreta. Five-spot Burnet
Prestbury Reserve, Gloucstershire, U.K. 22.5.22
Read MoreOphrys alasiatica
This taxon replaces Ophrys sintenisii in Cyprus.
Read MoreOphrys apifera
Ophrys apifera. A common taxon found throughout Europe and in Greece. The lateral lobes are brown and conical, with distinctive shape and pattern…
Read MoreOphrys apifera var chlorantha
Ophrys apifera var chlorantha Considered an interesting common variant of Ophrys apifera. It lacks the red and brown pigments (hypochromatic), with the flower…
Read MoreOphrys argolica
Ophrys argolica. An endemic of southern Greece, found from Corinth, with populations in Mycenae and the north Peloponnese. The shape of the lip…
Read MoreOphrys argolica ssp. lucis
Ophrys argolica ssp. lucis. A rare taxon from the eastern Aegean, recorded from Rhodes and Tilos, in open woodland. A robust plant with…
Read MoreOphrys attaviria var. cesmeensis
Ophrys attaviria var. cesmeensis. From Cesme in Turkey this var. has been found in Chios. It is characterised by a long and flat…
Read MoreOphrys blitopertha (Crete)
Ophrys blitopertha. A rare and local, eastern Aegean taxon. Similar to O. persephonae, but with a more shallow V at its base, more…
Read MoreOphrys bombyliflora
Ophrys bombyliflora. Widespread in the Mediterranean often forming large populations, being the only ophrys spreading through sprouting offshoots. A small plant (5-15cm), with…
Read MoreOphrys bornmuelleri
Ophrys bornmuelleri A taxon of Cyprus and the Near East, usually found in short grassland near open woodland. A slender but relatively tall…
Read MoreOphrys candica ssp. candica
Ophrys candica ssp. candica. A fairly rare taxon found from southern Italy to the Peloponnese, Crete and Rhodes, and can be confused with…
Read MoreOphrys cretica ssp. ariadne
Ophrys cretica ssp. ariadne. An early Greek endemic, found from February to April. It has usually green sepals and purple petals, with a…
Read MoreOphrys cretica ssp. beloniae
Rhodes 3.4.17.
Read MoreOphrys cretica ssp. cretica
Ophrys cretica ssp. cretica. A Greek endemic occuring in the Cyclades, Rhodes, and Crete, where it has large but localised populations. Found…
Read MoreOphrys delphinensis
Ophrys delphinensis. An endemic of Greece found in the northern Peloponnese. It is similar to O. argolica but with a more elongated lip…
Read MoreOphrys elegans
Ophrys elegans. This is a rare endemic of Cyprus. It is similar to O argolica, with a generally brown, trilobed…
Read MoreOphrys episcopalis
Ophrys episcopalis. An eastern Mediterranean taxon with pink petals and sepals. Can be found in Crete, and less common in Rhodes and Cyprus.
Read MoreOphrys ferrum-equinum
Ophrys ferrum-equinum. An eastern Mediterranean taxon, and is found throughout Greece. The lip is rarely trilobed, with various ‘horse-shoe’ patterns, with the petals…
Read MoreOphrys flavomarginata
Ophrys flavomarginata An early, eastern Mediterranean taxon found in various sites in Cyprus. A relatively short, but robust plant with distinctive patterning on…
Read MoreOphrys fusca ssp. attaviria
Ophrys fusca ssp. attaviria. An initial endemic of Rhodes, which has now been found in other Aegean islands. Its characteristics are olive green…
Read MoreOphrys fusca ssp. calocaerina
Ophrys fusca ssp. calocaerina Found in central Greece it is slightly larger and more robust than O. fusca ssp leucadica, with lateral lobes…
Read MoreOphrys fusca ssp. cinereophila
Ophrys fusca ssp. cinereophila. A taxon of the eastern Mediterranean. A slender, early flowering, small plant with a wide yellow margin and a…
Read MoreOphrys fusca ssp. creberima
Ophrys fusca ssp. creberima Considered an endemic of Crete where it is thought to replace O. fusca ssp. leucadica. The green, dorsal sepal…
Read MoreOphrys fusca ssp.cressa.
Ophrys fusca ssp. cressa. An endemic of Eastern Crete. A short plant, with specific shape and colour of speculum and a distinctive…
Read MoreOphrys fusca ssp.creticola.
Ophrys fusca ssp.creticola. An endemic of Crete. Early flowering and found at altitude. Large flowers with a yellow border with median lobe almost…
Read MoreOphrys fusca ssp. eptapigiensis
Ophrys fusca ssp. eptapigiensis. Confirmed by Petrou, it is however, a disputed subspecies found in an small area close to the village of…
Read MoreOphrys fusca ssp. funerea
Ophrys fusca ssp. funerea. This small-flowered fusca has been named by Delforge, describing the taxon found in Cyprus. Distinguished by its yellow-green sepals…
Read MoreOphrys fusca ssp. leucadica
Ophrys fusca ssp. leucadica A Greek endemic from the western mainland and Ionian islands. The photos are from two sites in the north…
Read MoreOphrys fusca ssp. lindia
Ophrys fusca ssp. lindia. A rare endemic of the far eastern Aegean, found in Rhodes, Karpathos and this first siting in Chios. A…
Read MoreOphrys fusca ssp. sancti-isidorii
Ophrys fusca ssp. sancti-isidorii. A sub-species from the Kalamoti area in Chios. It has green to yellow petals, a strong V shape at…
Read MoreOphrys heldreichii ssp. calypsus
Ophrys heldreichii ssp. calypsus A taxon of the eastern Aegean, widespread and often abundant. A robust plant with large flowers, with pink…
Read MoreOphrys heldreichii ssp. heldreichii
Ophrys heldreichii ssp. heldreichii A Greek endemic, found in Crete and the southern Aegean. A robust plant with bracts longer than the flowers…
Read MoreOphrys heldreichii ssp. polyxo
Ophrys heldreichii ssp. polyxo Considered an endemic of Rhodes and first described in 2005. Excepting the hypochromatic var, sepals and petals range in…
Read MoreOphrys holoserica ssp halia
Ophrys holoserica ssp halia A rare taxon considered an endemic of Rhodes. A tall slender plant with often deflexed sepals and petals with…
Read MoreOphrys homeri
Ophrys homeri A taxon of the eastern Aegean. A dark, magenta perianth, with dorsal sepal curving over, with a very dark base, and…
Read MoreOphrys iricolor
Ophrys iricolor An eastern Mediterranean taxon occurring in southern and central Greece and Cyprus. Distinct features include the purple to blue speculum, with…
Read MoreOphrys israelitica
Ophrys israelitica From the omegaifera group this name is given by Delforge to the plants in Cyprus. A snall but robust plant often…
Read MoreOphrys kotschyi
Ophrys kotschyi An endemic of Cyprus with distinctive dark violet to black markings on an exceptionally long lip. A green perianth with dorsal…
Read MoreOphrys lapethica
Ophrys lapethica. An endemic of Cyprus, with sepals pale pink to purple or violet. The pattern rarely exceeds the middle of the speculum,…
Read MoreOphrys leochroma
Ophrys leochroma. A further splitting of O tenthredinifera by Delforge for deeply coloured plants with narrowing lip, found throughout Greece. All photographs taken…
Read MoreOphrys levantina
Ophrys levantina An Eastern Mediterranean taxon found in several locations in Cyprus. Sepals are greenish-white, ther dorsal often turned back, with small, brown…
Read MoreOphrys lutea ssp. melena
Ophrys lutea ssp. melena. A controversial taxon, considered an endemic of the southern Balkans. Found specifically in western and central Greece, and in…
Read MoreOphrys minutula
Ophrys minutula An endemic of the eastern Aegean islands. Taller, 15-35cm, with pointed lip, in a more denser inflorescence, and generally later flowered,…
Read MoreOphrys oestrifera ssp. cornutula
Ophrys oestrifera ssp. cornutula Considered an endemic of Rhodes it has now been established throughout Greece. A tall and slender plant with long…
Read MoreOphrys oestrifera ssp. dodekanensis
Ophrys oestrifera ssp. dodekanensis Considered an endemic of Chios and Rhodes it has now been found in the other islands of the Dodekanese….
Read MoreOphrys oestrifera ssp.oestrifera
Ophrys oestrifera ssp.oestrifera A relatively tall and slender plant distributed from southern Hungary to Iran. It occurs throughout Greece, except in Crete where…
Read MoreOphrys oestrifera ssp. oestrifera var alba
Ophrys oestrifera ssp. oestrifera var alba This small flowered plant was found in 2011 on an orchid-rich site. It’s lateral lobe-like horns, with…
Read MoreOphrys omegaifera ssp. basilissa
Ophrys omegaifera ssp. basilissa. Originally from Crete, it has now been found throughout the southern Aegean. A robust plant with characteristically large flowers,…
Read MoreOphrys omegaifera ssp. fleischmannii
Ophrys omegaifera ssp. fleischmannii. A rare taxon considered an endemic from Crete it has occurred on other Cycladic islands. A small plant with…
Read MoreOphrys omegaifera ssp. omegaifera
Ophrys omegaifera ssp. omegaifera. Found throughout the Aegean, although uncommon, a short but robust plant, found up to 1000 metres, often on edges…
Read MoreOphrys omegaifera ssp. sitiaca
Ophrys omegaifera ssp. sitiaca. A very rare, taxon found in the eastern Aegean, and recorded from Crete. Distinguished by the shallow V at…
Read MoreOphrys orphanidea
Ophrys orphanidea Described as a new species by Delforge and Saliaris, but desputed by Petrou. Similar to O. minutula it flowers at the…
Read MoreOphrys parosica var phaseliana
Ophrys parosica var phaseliana. An endemic of the eastern Aegean described from Paros. Tufts of hairs make the slightly kinked lip look spotted,…
Read MoreOphrys pelinaea
Ophrys pelinaea. A new named taxon from the eastern Mediterranean with many similarities to the omegaifera group. It has a less distinct W…
Read MoreOphrys persephonae
Ophrys persephonae. A rare, eastern Mediterranean taxon in the blitopertha group, and found in Rhodes, Chios and Samos. A short, robust plant with…
Read MoreOphrys regis-ferdinandii
Ophrys regis ferdinandii A taxon of the eastern Mediterranian often forming large populations. Distinguished by its brightly coloured elongated trilobed lip, and dark…
Read MoreOphrys reinholdii
Ophrys reinholdii. A rather rare eastern Mediterranean species with variously coloured sepals, with distinctive white patterning on a darkened lip.
Read MoreOphrys saliarisii
Ophrys saliarisii. An endemic of Chios, thought only to be found in three locations. It had existed as a ssp. of O. candica,…
Read MoreOphrys schlecteriana
Ophrys schlecteriana. A Greek endemic found in the eastern Peloponnese. Part of the Oestrifera complex it was given species status by P. Delforge,…
Read MoreOphrys sicula
Ophrys sicula. Probably the most common taxon in the Mediterranean, from Spain to Cyprus. A slender, short plant, often in large populations, its…
Read MoreOphrys sicula ssp. phryganae
Ophrys sicula ssp. phryganae. A taxon of the central and eastern Mediterranean, and occurs throughout Greece. It features a wide, yellow border with…
Read MoreOphrys speculum
Ophrys speculum Widespread throughout the Mediterranean, although absent from Crete, often forming large populations. Villous petals and lip, with a unmistakable bright blue…
Read MoreOphrys sphegodes ssp. cretensis
Eastern Crete. 23.3.17.
Read MoreOphrys sphegodes ssp. zeusii
Ophrys sphegodes ssp. zeusii. Distributed in Albania and western and northern Greece. Found above 300 metres, a tall, slender plant with silvery-green leaves…
Read MoreOphrys spruneri
Ophrys spruneri A Greek endemic found in the central mainland, Crete, and Ionian islands. It can be variable in the shape and colour…
Read MoreOphrys tenthredinifera ssp. tenthredinifera
Ophrys tenthredinifera ssp. tenthredinifera. Another easily identifiable Mediterranean taxon, occurring throughout Greece. This species is presently experiencing further splitting. Petrou considers these to…
Read MoreOphrys transhyrcana
This taxon in Cyprus is now also called Ophrys morio.
Read MoreOphrys umbilicata ssp. attica
Ophrys umbilicata ssp. attica. This taxon is now called Ophrys astarte in Cyprus. It may be confused with O. umbilicata ssp. umbilicata, but…
Read MoreOphrys umbilicata ssp. bucephala
Ophrys umbilicata ssp. bucephala An initial endemic of Lesvos, now found in Chios and Turkey. A short and robust plant, with whitish-green sepals,…
Read MoreOphrys umbilicata ssp. rhodia (Cyprus)
Ophrys umbilicata ssp rhodia (Cyprus) A rare taxon appearing in Rhodes, Karpathos, and Cyprus. A short, but robust plant with a dense inflorescence….
Read MoreOphrys umbilicata ssp. rhodia (Rhodes)
Ophrys umbilicata ssp rhodia (Cyprus) A rare taxon appearing in Rhodes, Karpathos, and Cyprus. A short, but robust plant with a dense inflorescence….
Read MoreOphrys umbilicata ssp. umbilicata
Ophrys umbilicata ssp. umbilicata This taxon can be found throughout the eastern Mediterranean. A generally short but robust flower with small flowers and…
Read MoreOphrys villosa ssp. sanctae-marcellae
Ophrys villosa ssp. sanctae-marcellae A new subspecies given to the Ophrys villosa found in Chios and other Aegean Islands. It’s characteristics are a…
Read MoreManiola chia. Chios Meadow Brown.
Maniola chia. Chios Meadow Brown.
Read MoreLimenitis reducta. Southern White Admiral.
Vouraikos, Greece. 5.7.17
Read MoreClossiana euphrosyne. Pearl-bordered Fritillary.
Gloucestershire, U.K. 14.5.22. Gloucestershire. U.K. 14.5.22. Gloucestershire. U.K. 14.5.22.
Read MoreLibellula fulva. Blue Chaser.
Libellula fulva. (Muller. 1764). Blue Chaser. Found throughout Europe this species prefers slow-moving rivers and is locally common. Important features are the black…
Read MoreOrthetrum coerulescens
Orthetrum coerulescens. (Fabricius 1798). Keeled Skimmer. A small Orthetrum common throughout Europe, with fairly small tapering abdomen, with large pterostigma often yellow. The…
Read MoreSympetrum striolatum
Sympetrum striolatum. (Charpentier, 1840). Common Darter. Probably the most common darter found throughout Europe, north Africa, and well into Asia. Both sexes have…
Read MoreSympetrum sanguineum
Sympetrum sanguineum. (Muller, 1764). Ruddy Darter. A similar group of species found throughout Europe, its important features being the black legs, club…
Read MoreSympetrum fonscolombii. (Selys, 1840). Red-veined Darter.
Sympetrum fonscolombii. Red-veined Darter. Female. Armolia, Chios. 7.6.17.
Read MoreSelysiothemis nigra
Selysiothemis nigra. (Vander Linden, 1825). Black Pennant. A small, dark inconspicuous dragonfly with a disproportionately large head with broadwings. More common in Asia…
Read MoreCrocothemis erythraea
Crocothemis erythraea. (Brulle, 1832). Broad Scarlet. Found throughout central and southern Europe, Africa and western Asia.The slightly biggermale is bright red when mature,…
Read MoreTrithemis annulata. (Palisot de Beauvois, 1807). Violet Dropwing.
Trithemis annulata. (Palisot de Beauvois, 1807). Violet Dropwing. Male. Armolia, Chios. 7.6.17.
Read MoreOrthetrum cancellatum
Orthetrum cancellatum. (Linnaeus, 1758). Black-tailed Skimmer. This skimmer is found throughout Europe, and has a broad abdomen, shaded blue in the mature male,…
Read MoreOrthetrum brunneum
Orthetrum brunneum. (Fonscolombe. 1837). Southern Skimmer. A common species found throughout Europe with a more streamlined shaped abdomen, compared with the related,…
Read MoreLibellula depressa
Libellula depressa. (Linnaeus, 1758). Broad-bodied Chaser. A very common species found throughout Europe into Asia. Its chief characteristic being a shorter, broad, flattened…
Read MoreCordulegaster helladica
Cordulegaster helladica. (Lohmann, 1993) Greek Goldenring. This species is endemic to southern Greece, and has pronounced abdominal markings reaching the underside of the…
Read MoreOnychogomphus forcipatus
Onychogomphus forcipatus. (Linnaeus, 1759). Small Pincertail. This is the most widespread of its species, being medium-large, bright, yellow marked, with pale…
Read MoreGomphus schneiderii
Gomphus schneiderii. (Selys, 1850). Turkish Clubtail. This species is locality specific, being found in the southern Balkans, central Greece and much of Turkey….
Read MoreAnax imperator. Blue Emperor. Greece and U.K.
Anax imperator. (Leach 1815). Blue Emperor. A common and large aeshnid of African origin. Photos feature a patrolling mature male, with green to…
Read MoreAeshna mixta.
Aeshna mixta. (Latreille, 1805). Migrant Hawker. Found throughout Europe this is the commonest small hawker. The male has distinctive blue abdominal markings, where…
Read MoreAnax parthenope
Anax parthenope. (Selys, 1839). Lesser Emperor. This large aeshnid is common throughout the Mediterranean. Its chief characteristics are green eyes, blue saddle, dark…
Read MoreAeshna affinis.
Aeshna affinis. (Vander Linden, 1820). Blue-eyed Hawker. Less common, but similar in size and build to A. mixta but the blue markings on…
Read MorePlatycnemis pennipes ssp nitidula
Platycnemis pennipes. (Pallas, 1771). Blue Featherleg. With its wide head and distinctive white legs this is a common species found throughout Europe, except…
Read MorePyrrhosoma elisabethae. Greek Red Damsel.
Pyrrhosoma elisabethae. (Schmidt, 1948). Greek Red Damsel. An endemic of Greece, at present found in only a few places in the North Peloponnese,…
Read MoreCoenagrion puella
Coenagrion pulchellum. (Vander Linden, 1825). Variable Bluet. A common, pale blue damselfly with a long and relatively thin abdomen, which is found throughout…
Read MoreCoenagrion scitulum. (Rambur). Dainty Bluet.
Coenagrion scitulum. (Rambur). Dainty Blue.
Read MoreEnallagma cyathigerum
Enallagma cyathigerum. (Charpentier, 1840). Common Bluet. Probably the most widespread dragonfly in Europe, and even observed in the Artic Circle. It is a…
Read MoreIschnura elegans
Ischnura elegans. (Vander Linden, 1820). Common Bluetail. A common and widespread species with a variety of colours in the eyes and thorax. Antehumeral…
Read MoreIschnura pumilio. (Charpentier, 1825). Small Bluetail.
Ischnura pumilio. (Charpentier, 1825). Small Bluetail. These photographs represent the first documented record of this species in Chios.
Read MoreSympecma fusca
Sympecma fusca. (Vander Linden. 1820). Common Winter Damsel. It is found throughout Europe and North Africa, with no records from the UK. Seen…
Read MoreLestes sponsa
Lestes sponsa. (Hansemann, 1823). Common Spreadwing. A typically small and fairly common spreadwing, and is a central and northern European species. Its eyes,…
Read MoreLestes barbarus
Lestes bararus. (Fabricius, 1798). Migrant Spreadwing. Found throughout most of Europe and extending into Asia. It is slightly larger than most Lestes, with…
Read MoreCalopteryx splendens
Calopteryx splendens. (Harris, 1782). Banded Demoiselle. This is one of the largest damselflies found throughout Europe and the far east. With its variety…
Read MoreCalopteryx virgo
Calopteryx virgo. (Linnaeus, 1758). Beautiful Demoiselle. This is the largest Calopteryx and is locally common from Scandinavia to south-east Europe. The wings of…
Read MoreHimantoglossum comperianum
Himantoglossum comperianum. A very rare taxon, found mainly in Turkey, and in the far eastern Aegean islands. Recent sitings have been in Lesvos…
Read MoreHimantoglossum robertianum
Himantoglossum robertianum. Easily distinguished by its large size and flower shape, one of the first orchids in spring often forming large populations. The…
Read MoreNeotinea lactea
Neotinea lactea. A Mediterranean species, found in western and central Greece, most of the islands and Crete. Distinguished from N. tridentata with the…
Read MoreOrchis anatolica ssp. anatolica
Orchis anatolica ssp. anatolica. An eastern Mediterranean taxon found on the Aegean islands, Crete and Cyprus. A short and slender plant with white…
Read MoreOrchis anthropophora
Orchis anthropohora. A European and Mediterranean species often forming large populations. Sepals form a green hood with red markings. The lip, deeply trilobed…
Read MoreOrchis intacta. Syn: Neotinea maculata.
Orchis intacta. Syn: Neotinea maculata. A slender plant with small, self-pollinating flowers resembling a human figure. It has several colour variations of white…
Read MoreOrchis italica
Orchis italica. A easily identifiable Mediterranean species, often forming large populations. The flowers can be white to dark pink, resembling a male figure.
Read MoreOrchis mascula ssp mascula
Orchis mascula ssp. mascula. A European and Mediterranean taxon, occurring throughout mainland Greece and the Peloponnese. An often common species in alpine pastures…
Read MoreOrchis mascula ssp. pinetorum
Orchis mascula ssp. pinetorum. A taxon of the eastern Mediterranean and found in the mountains of mainland Greece and the Peloponnese, on the…
Read MoreOrchis pallens
Orchis pallens. A rare European species found in alpine pastures and open forests. A robust plant with unspotted pale yellow flowers. The leaves…
Read MoreOrchis pauciflora
Orchis pauciflora. A central and eastern Mediterranean taxon. Rare with small populations. A small, robust plant, with white lateral sepals, petals and spur…
Read MoreOrchis provincialis
Orchis Provincialis. Similar to O. pauciflora, but with red spots on yellow to white lip, and spotted basal leaves. The lateral lobes are…
Read MoreOrchis punctulata
Orchis punctulata. A very rare eastern Mediterranean taxon, with records from Chios and Rhodes. The Cyprus site has number of plants in two…
Read MoreOrchis quadripunctata
Orchis quadripunctata. An often common taxon found throughout the central Mediterranean, central Greece, the Aegean islands and Crete. A fairly short and slender…
Read MoreOrchis quadripunctata x anatolica.
Orchis quadripunctata x anatolica. A tall, individual plant found around 1500 metres with features of both genus.
Read MoreOrchis quadripunctata ssp. sezikiana
Orchis quadripunctata ssp. sezikiana. This taxon replaces Orchis quadripunctata in Cyprus. A more delicate, and shorter flower, with characteristic spots and a prominant…
Read MoreOrchis simia
Orchis simia. Although this species occurs throughout Europe and the Meditteranean, as with many species, it is rare in some areas and…
Read MoreOrchis spitzelii
Orchis spitzelii A rare species found between 1000 and 2100 metres. Important features are the green petals with dorsal sepal forming a hood,…
Read MoreOrchis syriaca
Orchis syriaca. An eastern, rare, Mediterranean taxon, found in Cyprus. Similar to O. morio, and O. picta presenting variations in size and colour…
Read MoreOrchis troodi
Orchis troodi Variously considered a ssp. of Orchis anatolica, Delforge, and later authors, have confirmed this species as an endemic of the Troodos…
Read MoreAnacamptis collina
Anacamptis collina. A robust, fairly tall plant found across the Mediterranean. An early plant in Cyprus, emerging in January. Featuring erect, brown lateral…
Read MoreAnacamptis collina var leucoglossa
Anacamptis collina var leucoglossa This variation occurs in the second wave of flowers. It is a fairly rare hypochromatic form and features a…
Read MoreAnacamptis coriophora ssp. coriophora
Anacamptis coriophora ssp. coriophora. A fairly rare species occurring in central and southern Europe, often on higher slopes and meadows. Separated from A…
Read MoreAnacamptis coriophora ssp. fragrans.
Anacamptis coriophora ssp. fragrans. A Mediterranean taxon found in central and southern Greece, the Aegean islands and Crete. It can have few leaves…
Read MoreAnacamptis laxiflora
Anacamptis laxiflora. A European and Mediterranean species found throughout Greece. A tall (20-60 cm) and slender plant with a lax inflorescence. Flowers are…
Read MoreAnacamptis morio ssp. morio
Anacamptis morio ssp. morio. This Mediterranean taxon is usually shorter and more robust and with a more dense inflorescence than O. picta, with…
Read MoreAnacamptis palustris ssp. elegans
Anacamptis palustris ssp. elegans Considered a Balkan taxon it is found in central mainland Greece and in Lesvos. It has longer bracts and…
Read MoreAnacamptis palustris ssp. palustris
Anacamptis palustris ssp. palustris It’s Euro-Mediterranean range is poorly known, usually appearing earlier with shorter bracts and leaves than A. palustris ssp elegans….
Read MoreAnacamptis papilionacea
Anacamptis papilionacea. A European and Mediterranean species, occurring throughout Greece. A usually short, but easily recognised plant, often in large populations. Its variability…
Read MoreAnacamptis papilionacea ssp. alibertis
Anacamptis papilionacea ssp. alibertis. Named after the contemporary Cretan botanist A. Alibertis, this subspecies has received confirmation by Delforge and Petrou. A tall…
Read MoreAnacamptis papilionacea var. heroica
Anacamptis papilionacea var. heroica. A short and robust plant with a dense inflorescence, found mostly in the eastern Aegean. The heart shaped lip…
Read MoreAnacamptis picta
Anacamptis picta. A slender and spindly plant with pink to dark purple flowers. Very similar to O. morio, but with lateral lobes as…
Read MoreAnacamptis pyramidalis
Anacamptis pyramidalis. A common species found throughout Europe and the Mediterranean. Its shape of lip and inflorescence are distinct, with the flowers pollinated…
Read MoreAnacamptis sancta
Anacamptis sancta. A fairly rare, and local eastern Mediterranean species found in the Aegean islands and Crete. A slender plant with an unspotted…
Read MoreSerapias aphrodite
Serapias aphrodite. A rare endemic of Cyprus, found at present in the Acrotiri peninsula and in the Akamas. A short serapias, with small…
Read MoreSerapias bergonii
Serapias begonii. An eastern Mediterranean taxon with an upward pointing hood. A lip, longer than the hood, with two dark lamellae at its…
Read MoreSerapias carica
Serapias carica A taxon of the eastern Mediterranean occurring in the Aegean islands of Lesbos, Chios, Samos, and Rhodes. A robust, but normally…
Read MoreSerapias cordigera ssp. cordigera
Serapias cordigera ssp. cordigera A short and robust plant. Specific features include a grey-green hood pointing upwards, with dark red lobes and red…
Read MoreSerapias parviflora
Serapias parviflora. Widespread, but considered rare and distributed from the Mediterranean- Atlantic to the eastern Aegean and Cyprus. Flowers dense at the top,…
Read MoreSerapias vomeracea x bergonii
Serapias vomeracea x bergonii. This example has large flowers and the dense white hairs of S. vomeracea, with the long, narrowing lip and…
Read MoreSerapias vomeracea ssp. vomeracea
Serapias vomeracea ssp. vomeracea. A European and Mediterranean taxon, probably the most common serapias. Robust and usually the tallest species with the largest…
Read MoreDactylorhiza fuchsii. Common Spotted Orchid.
Gloucestershire. U.K. 14.6.23.
Read MoreDactylorhiza iberica
Dactylorhiza iberica. An eastern Mediterranean species from the northern Peloponnese to Iran. Sepals and petals are joined forming a hood, with a downward…
Read MoreDactylorhiza romana
Dactylorhiza romana. A Balkan and Mediterranean species occurring throughout Greece and Cyprus. The colour of the flowers ranges from pink, magenta to yellow….
Read MoreDactylorhiza saccifera
Dactylorhiza saccifera. A central and eastern European taxon occurring throughout mainland Greece. A strong, robust plant containing many flowers with vivid pink to…
Read MoreDactylorhiza sambucina
Dactylorhriza sambucina. Found throughout mainland Greece and the highest mountains of the Peloponnese, in open meadows up to 2300 meters, appearing soon after…
Read MoreSpiranthes spiralis
Spiranthes spiralis A widely distributed species, occurring over most of Greece from August to October. Distinguished by its helical stem with small white…
Read MoreLimodorum abortivum
Limodorum abortivum. Found in southern Europe from the Atlantic to Iran. A tall robust plant with no green leaves, feeding on fungus. It…
Read MoreLimodorum abortivum var rubrum
Limodorum abortivum var rubrum. In many ways like the ‘typical’ species but this var has magenta flowers and a green stem. Occurring sporadically …
Read MoreEpipactis halacsyi
Epipactis helacsyi. A rare endemic of the Peloponnese, Greece, found above 1000 meters in generally shaded old-growth deciduous fir and pine forests. Median…
Read MoreEpipactis helleborine
Epipactis helleborine. Found from northern England to the Mediterranean. Flowers are greenish- yellow on robust stems, with leaves, broad and ovate, spirally arranged….
Read MoreEpipactis palustris. Marsh helleborine
Epipactis palustris. Marsh Helleborine. A distinctive orchid with purple, yellow and white flowers, with the lip showing striking purple veins, with a frilled…
Read MoreEpipactis sancta. Lindisfarne Helleborine.
Epipactis sancta. Lindisfarne Helleborine. Recent genetic work has confirmed that this orchid is endemic to the island of Lindisfarne, off the north-east coast…
Read MoreEpipactis turcica
This slightly later orchid was photographed near olive groves outside Olimbi in Chios. More flowering photos should appear soon.
Read MoreEpipactis veratrifolia
Epipactis veratrifolia. A rare taxon, its only known European sites are in Cyprus. Found on rocky, damp walls with stems growing to over…
Read MoreCephalanthera damasonium
Cephalanthera damasonium. Found throughout mainland Greece, the Peloponnese and the larger Aegean islands generally at higher altitude. It features large flowers facing upwards,…
Read MoreCephalanthera longifolia
Cephalanthera longifolia. Found throughout Europe and Asia, it is abundant in Greece. It’s white flowers, with a yellow margin, remain almost closed. A…
Read MoreCephalanthera rubra
Cephalanthera rubra. Found throughout Europe and Asia, often in mid-shade on forest edges. Distinguished by its bright pink flowers, an absence of a…
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