Nomenclature

Species name:

Ophrys mesaritica   P. Delforge

Author(s):

Pierre Delforge;
   Belgium, 20th Century

General names:

Cretan Blue Orchid, Early Rainbow Orchid

Maltese name:

Dubbiena bikrija

Plant Family:

Orchidaceae   (Orchid Family)

Name Derivation:

Ophrys = "Eyebrow", referring to the furry edges of the lips of several species. (Greek);
mesaritica = Belonging to Mesara, the largest plain in Crete, Greece; since here was where the plant was described first. (Latin).

Synonyms:

Ophrys iricolor subs. mesaritica. Ophrys fusca - rather than a synonym, this taxon is more a general name given to a group of species (including O. eleonorae), which look like Ophrys fusca.

Remarks:

This plant was previously placed under Ophrys fusca s.l. a complex aggregate which is being split into a number of different species. It was thought to be endemic to the region of Mesara in Crete, till the year 2000 when it was found by P. Delforge in Malta. Recently DNA analysis was made on this dubious species and the results of the Maltese species do not match those of the Cretan ones. Thus this might be an endemic orchid. -

Botanical Data

Plant Description

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Habitat:

Garigues, Steppes and Maquis. Likes arid environments.

Frequency:

Frequent

Sources in Malta:

Locally frequent. Several communities found at Dingli Cliffs.

Plant Height:

12-28cm.

Flowering Time:

Dec - Feb

Poison:

Unlikely to be poisonous.

Ophrys mesaritica is similar in morphology to O. fusca and its full morphological description can be read by [clicking here...] The main differences which distinguish O. mesaritica from the other closely related species of Ophrys fusca are the following:

1) The flower has distinctive, elevated ridges at the edges of the inner end of the labellum, that is at the mouth of the flower.

2) The length of the labellum is rather short, measuring between 11-16mm.

3) The plant flowers between mid December and February, which makes it the earliest to flower from the Ophrys fusca related group of species. An orchid looking like Ophrys fusca and is seen to flower in Malta during January, is most probably to be Oprhys mesaritica .

Additional Information

Nativity and distribution

According reference  [WWW-03] the Genus Ophrys is native to the Mediterranean region.

Ophrys mesaritica was first described by Paulus, C. Alibertis and A. Alibertis (1990) in a plain called Mesara (and hence the name mesaritica) in the large Greek island of Crete. It was originally named as Ophrys iricolor subsp mesaritica, but after nomenclature changes its name is currently accepted as Ophrys mesaritica by Delforge. [WWW-148] Since it was believed to be found only in Crete, Ophrys mesaritica was considered as an endemic to Crete. In 1993, Delforge discovered the presence of Ophrys mesaritica in Malta.[369] This puts some questions about the distribution of the plant since it is found in 2 islands so far away from each other [SM]. Additionally Delforge states that it also occurs on the E. Aegean island of Lesvos, but the latter is rather doubtful at this stage of research. [WWW-148]

Reports about Ophrys mesaritica in Malta.

In the report  [367], members of the 'Ophrys fusca complex' that are found on the Maltese islands are given after research by 4 botanists (G.Bartolo, S.Pulvirenti, E.lanfranco, D .Stevens) in 2001. The following 5 species are given:

Ophrys fusca Link,
O. caesiella P. Delforge,
O. parosica, P. Delforge,
O. pectus Mutel,
O. mesaritica P. Delforge (Iricolor group)

N.B. Ophrys pectus is a hybrid of Ophrys bilunulata (A1: Ophrys iricolor complex group) x O. mesaritica (A2: Ophrys mesaritica complex group)  [WWW-142]

According to the Belgian Delforge who dedicated much work on the Ophrys group and visited Malta during the end of February, indicated that the following species are found:

O. mesaritica P. Delforge
O. lupercalis J. Devillers-Terschuren & P. Devillers
O. pectus Mutel
O. fusca Link (possibly)
But during his stay in Malta, Delforge did not encounter O. parosica (fusca complex), or O. eleonorae from the Iricolor complex. .

Species of the Ophrys iricolor complex.

This complex or aggregate is made up of five species which are closely related to each other and previously they where referred to as Ophry iricolor s.l. or lumped with the Ophrys fusca s.l. The main charactaristic of this group is that of having an elevated ridge at the rim near the mouth / base of labellum. Some are quite narrow endemics. In Malta, there appears to be three species, O. mesaritica, O. eleanorae and O. vallesiana (?) [WWW-147]

1. Ophrys eleonorae J. Devillers - Terschuren & P. Devillers
2. Ophrys iricolor Desfontaines
3. Ophrys lojaconoi P. Delforge
4. Ophrys mesaritica P. Delforge
5. Ophrys vallesiana J. Devillers - Terschuren & P. Devillers

Recent DNA analysis

The doubt whether this Maltese plant is actually the Crete-endemic O. mesariica always existed. Morphologically our species is quite similar to that in Crete, but the distrubation does not give a plausible explanation. Recentely, a DNA analysis of the two specimen (Maltese and Cretan) was carried out and the results showed that they are different! [MB] Further studies are being carried out, but now one can exclude O. mesaritica from Malta. We have to wait if our species would be given a new taxon or grouped with another Ophrys. [SM]

Photo Gallery

Close up photo of flower which was found at Dingli Cliffs on the 2nd of January 2006. One can note the velvetly texture of the labellum.

Photo of another flower. The lip petal ends in a hollowed cavity. (mouth). The cavity leads to the inferior ovary. At the upper part of the mouth there are 2 tiny pollinia (stamen clusters) which are yellow-green, spherical bodies. Somewhere at the lower part there is the stigma.

Typical photo of the flower. This species have dark blue markings at the inner centre of the blue part. There is considerable variety in the markings and patterns of the labellum.

Photo of two flowers (side view). Up to 4 or 5 flowers can be seen on a single plant.

Photo of flower. This species have several dark blue blobs at the central blue region of the labellum. The labellum is rather elongated (or narrow) in shape.

Photo of flower. Blue region rather pale and without markings. The border between the brown and blue region has a reddish colour.

Photo of flower. Rather broad labellum with an orange/yellow colour at the lower and outer part of the mouth.

Photo of flower and bud.

Photo of flowers. Blue region is rather plain; without markings.

Photo of flower. The blue region is pale and contains several dark blue blobs..

Photo of 2 flowers.

Photo of flower. Lateral lobes rather small and the indentation at base of cental lobe is very shallow.

Photo of a wet flower after rain.

Photo of flower. Lateral lobes extended (or flattened) more than the average.

Photo of a beautiful flower found at Wied Anglu, Feb 2006.

Chart of 12 photos of the flowers of Ophrys mesaritica- / iricolor- complex group found growing in Malta in first week of January.

Photo of flower taken on Jan 2006.

Photo of flower taken on Jan 2006.

Photo of flower taken on Jan 2006.

Photo of flower taken on Jan 2006.

This side-view photo clearly shows that the margins of the labellum are curved downwards, giving it an overall thicker appearance.

A photo of a more decorated flower. The bluish part is further decorated by reddish-brown patterns. The border between the brown and blue area is pale red/peach. The margin of the labellum is green.

Photo of another decorated flower. There are 2 dark blue markings and a central bright red one at the bluish part of the labellum.

Close up photo of the labellum. Note its hairy texture which makes it have a velvet-like feeling on touch.

Close up photo of the mouth of the flower showing detail of the 2 pollinia. These are those vertical columns with a spherical ending (referred to as bursicles.).

Photo of flower showing detail of the anatomy the reproductive organs at its mouth.

Magnified scanned image of flower.

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