O. lucitanica
was ultimately described from Portugal by Paulas and Gack in 1990, having first been recognized by Brothero as O. vernixia as long ago as 1804. It is a member of the small O. speculum group
of Ophrys and
is named after Lusitania, the ancient Roman province that encompassed
Portugal and parts of western Spain. Some authorities do not accept
this plant as a full species and prefer to accord it only sub specific
status as O. speculum ssp lusitanica. This group of orchids are well known by their widely used common name of Mirror Ophrys.
O. lusitanica is confined to localized populations in the southern half of Portugal, together with some similarly scattered outposts in Southern Spain. Here its range is centred on Andalucia but can also be found in just one or two sites as far north as the Province of Jaen. It is rare throughout its range but in some of its colonies, it can number hundreds of individual plants.
This species frequently grows alongside O. speculum and despite a relatively short flowering overlap, the two readily hybridize, forming large intermediate populations that can present problems with identification. In pure populations however, differentiation is quite straightforward and perhaps the most striking contrast between the two is their differing proportions. O. speculum is spindly and rarely grows above 20cms whereas O. lusitanica is robust and capable of reaching 50cms or more. The flowers themselves also differ in size but in the latter species, the median and lateral lobes are significantly longer than those of the more rotund O. speculum. It does not normally appear until at least mid April, some two or three weeks after O. speculum. The pictures come from Malaga Province, Spain and the Algarve of Portugal, dating from the end of April.
O. lusitanica is confined to localized populations in the southern half of Portugal, together with some similarly scattered outposts in Southern Spain. Here its range is centred on Andalucia but can also be found in just one or two sites as far north as the Province of Jaen. It is rare throughout its range but in some of its colonies, it can number hundreds of individual plants.
This species frequently grows alongside O. speculum and despite a relatively short flowering overlap, the two readily hybridize, forming large intermediate populations that can present problems with identification. In pure populations however, differentiation is quite straightforward and perhaps the most striking contrast between the two is their differing proportions. O. speculum is spindly and rarely grows above 20cms whereas O. lusitanica is robust and capable of reaching 50cms or more. The flowers themselves also differ in size but in the latter species, the median and lateral lobes are significantly longer than those of the more rotund O. speculum. It does not normally appear until at least mid April, some two or three weeks after O. speculum. The pictures come from Malaga Province, Spain and the Algarve of Portugal, dating from the end of April.
