This species was first described by Paulus in 2007 from the Spili valley in Crete and its name derives from the mythological Cretan princess, Phaedra, daughter of King Minos of Crete. The recognition and formal description of O. phaidra was the result of a wider study of the island's late flowering O. fusca group populations.
O. phaidra is endemic to Crete but is not particularly uncommon and appears to be spread widely across suitable habitats throughout the island. Its distribution includes the Thripti mountains and perhaps the centre of its range, the Spili valley. It is therefore in contact with several other of the numerous Cretan Pseudophrys species, not least the similar O. pallidula, O. creberrima and O. cressa. It differs however in the deeper and longer central groove of the lip, which effectively separates the longitudinal hemispheres of the labellum. The three lobed lip is also longitudinally flatter and less recurved at the margins. The speculum is bolder and shorter, usually stopping significantly above the sinuses. The strong yellow marginal lining is most visible in immature flowers and gradually becomes less visible as the periphery of the lip reflexes with age.
O. phaidra, O. creberrina and O. pallidula share identical habitat preferences and flower at a similar time during April and early May. It's perhaps unsurprising therefore that hybridization has been recorded, although the pollinator of O. phaidra has yet to be identified.
The pictures are from a well known site above the village of Spili dating from the 7th of April, at which time flowering was just beginning.
