O. ptolemaea was first described by Delforge from Kos in 2009 and its name refers to Ptolemy, the Greek born astronomer and mathematician of Alexandria, Egypt. It is a very small flowered member of the O. heldreichii group of Ophrys.

It is one of the Eastern Mediterranean's rarest Ophrys, occurring only in small numbers on the Aegean island of Kos and more particularly on the Kephalos peninsula to the south west. Even here it is reported to be restricted to two isolated populations, though it almost certainly exists elsewhere amongst the vast phrygana fields of Kos. It is however a severely threatened species due to the islands enormous herds of goats, subsistence agriculture and seemingly unrestricted, largely unattractive tourist development.

O. ptolemaea is pleasingly a relatively easy species to identify due to its often just two or three very small flowers that are held on a short, lax inflorescence. The overall impression is of a very weedy, easily overlooked plant, particularly as it has often been forced by overgrazing to retreat to the cover of the prickliest low shrubs. Another key distinguishing characteristic is the speculum which although variable is generally extensive and complex. Photographically O. ptolemaea can be confused with the similar O. calypsus but in the field the latters larger number of flowers and significantly more robust habit is diagnostic.    

It is a relatively late flowerer and will be appearing as O. calypsus is finishing in early April. The pictures are from the Sfakia region of the Kephalos peninsula and date from the second week of April.