Taxonomy details for Rainbow Bee-Orchid (Ophrys iricolor)

Relationship: Deviation

iNaturalist Luxembourg Plants of the World Online
Species Ophrys iricolor (parent: Section Pseudophrys) Many-to-one Subspecies Ophrys fusca iricolor (parent: Species Ophrys fusca)
Subspecies Ophrys iricolor iricolor (parent: Species Ophrys iricolor)
Subspecies Ophrys iricolor mesaritica (parent: Species Ophrys iricolor)
Subspecies Ophrys iricolor vallesiana (parent: Species Ophrys iricolor)

Species name added here by deviation from POWO according to part of the following discussion : https://www.inaturalist.org/flags/608145
The main objective was to be able to consider several subspecies under O. iricolor sensu lato, overall when 2 subspecies, distinguished by flowering time + labellum size and consequently by pollinator, are known on the same territory, like Tunisia, Malta or Crete.
The scheme adopted here is voluntary a bit simplicist because the guideline was to deviated the less possible with a maximum gain for distinguishing all entities that could be see on the field :

  • medium-size early flowers = mesaritica (incl. hospitalis)
  • medium-size relatively late flowers = vallesiana (incl. lojaconoi, astypalaea)
  • large-size flowers with intermediate flowering time = iricolor (incl. eleonorae)

Created by abounabat on March 1, 2023