Ophrys mesaritica

[Mast de Maeght]

On jan 24, 2006 Jl-Pine posted a Ophrys slide which was for sure correctly identified as O. mesaritica by MWP admin on the same day.

The two ridges are clearly visible proving this plant to belong to the iricolor group.

These Ophrys of the iricolor - fusca groups are quite , or even very difficult plants, and to be well aware of what was already published on them by the few specialists of the group is of paramount importance to be able to make some correct identifications.

To have discovered the importancxe of the ridges at the base of the lip to discriminate between fusca and iricolor groups is a step in the good direction.

Best wishes to all,

James

[robcar]

Yes James, I think you are right in stressing the importance of being aware of what has been published, especially the more recent work to be able to identify closely related Ophrys species.

Unfortunately it is not so easy for those of us like me who although interested in our local flora are not trained botanists, especially in the case of the Ophrys orchids, where most of the recent papers seem to be written in French or German in specialist journals which are difficult (and expensive) to obtain.

We tend to rely on field guides and similar more popular material, and therefore we tend to be more comfortable with using the term O.fusca sl.for all the local species within the O.fusca-iricolor aggregate.

I am under the impression that Ophrys taxonomy is somewhat controversial and some botanists are not happy with having so many names for plants that are superficially very similar. Instinctively I tend to hold this view but my knowledge and experience is is very limited.

Obviously more knowledge from the literature and field observations that can help us distinguish between the different 'species' within the complex can put us into a better position to decide whether we are on the side of the splitters or the lumpers

[Mast de Maeght]

You are perfectly right, Robcar, in everything you say in your reply.

The whole, or almost the whole, of recent litterature about European orchids taxonomy is either in German, either in French, and always in quite difficult to get specialized periodicals. Anyway I suppose you know Stephen quite well, and I sent to him photocopies and informations which will prove useful for the study of Maltese orchids, and probably you can share them with him.

You are also right saying that orchids taxonomy is quite a controversial matter. That's right, but probably because it has lots of recent modifications, and the optics of German and Belgian schools of orchidology are sometimes very different. You have the same problem with German and French schools of mycology for instance. But many "new" species are now widely accepted by everybody, like mesaritica, fusca s. str., bilunulata, lupercalis, ...

Of course what is important is to be informed of what is believed to exist, would you allow me this strange way of speaking, to check carefully what grows at different moments in the region you live in, in your case Malta, to see if it's possible to recognize some already described species.

Now for splitters and lumpers, there will always exist both types of botanists of course, and perhaps splitting was too important in such a terrific group as iricolor - fusca s.l. groups, but let's subject all these "new" species to further investigations, with perhaps stonger methods, looking for pollinating insects, DNA, chemical study of the perfumes produced by the Ophryses, and the like. And then let time do its job. Perhaps 50 years from now many of these species will be forgotten, perhaps not. We are just at a moment of orchidology, and during the last quater of the XX th century, lots of researches have been made about orchids, and now many more are being done.
Let's wait and see.

With all my best wishes,

James

[MWP admin]

What a nice discussion!

I perfectely agree with Mast de Maeght (and Robcar), that many of the new species that were described between 1985-2000 or so, are now established and can be used with their own taxon. Other new ones are still on the verge (on trial) if they would be accepted or not, so for those we can wait.

It is good practice for example to start calling the ridged Orphys that flowers in January as Ophrys mesaritica rather than O. fusca, and also keeping in mind that it forms part of the iricolor aggregate. It seems to be accepted and 'approved' by many botanists.

I placed a new profile for O. mesaritica in my website too:

http://www.maltawildplants.com/ORCH/Oph ... itica.html

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What I would like to know is if the real O. fusca is present in Malta and when it flowers. I have the impression that what it was believed to be O. fusca is getting splitted to new names, and the O.fusca taxon will cease to exist for Malta

[Mast de Maeght]

Hello Admin,

The question which is troubling you, now, is a good one.

Here is the recent history :

In his 1993 paper, Delforge included Op. fusca sensu stricto in the list of Maltese orchids, giving even a photo.
He also gave a photo of a bilunulata x mesaritica hybrid.

Now in the third, more recent edition of his guide (2005), the same photo is given to illustrate Op. pectus from Malta, and in the Op. fusca entry, a question mark follows Malta in the distribution of Op. fusca s. str.
And Op. bilunulata is no more indicated as growing in the island.

Now two things, this is very exemplative of the great difficulties encountered even by very good specialists with these very difficult plants.
Also, it brings water to the lumpers, and I never realized the situation to be so confused in Malta. But the more confused, the better. Would there only be 20 species of Ophrys, all very well separated from each other, for long Ophryses would no more interest us !!
Would you like to know if Op. fusca s. str. grows on Malta, it's you, the Maltese botanist, with your friends, who has to look for it, knowing very well what it is before beginning to look for it.

Have a very nice time,

James, alias Skinjim, as a nickname,