MWP Quiz 33 - look what I found!

Post by **MWP admin** » Wed Mar 07, 2007 8:36 am

I have a dozen of posts to write but i am very busy and just wanted to share this with you in a form of quiz. Nothing hyperreal this time and you have a clear full-plant photo!

It is an Orcid from Malta (truly & no riddles

)

RB · Post by RB » Wed Mar 07, 2007 10:39 am

Miskina it looks very "handicapped".

IL-PINE · Post by **IL-PINE** » Wed Mar 07, 2007 7:42 pm

hehehehe

Post by **MWP admin** » Wed Mar 07, 2007 8:25 pm

RB, apart the mottled leaves, the plant is a normal healthy specimen (size and shape!)

robcar · Post by **robcar** » Thu Mar 08, 2007 4:39 pm

It is Ophrys parosica - very nice find indeed - perhaps another form of O. fusca[/i - however, unlike many of the rest this is rather distinctive - I actually think that it could very well be considered a true species in its own right.

Post by **MWP admin** » Thu Mar 08, 2007 4:54 pm

Hi robcar,

All you said was correct except the 4th word!

Well, you are on the good track.

robcar · Post by **robcar** » Thu Mar 08, 2007 6:04 pm

Then it is O. caesiella?

Post by **MWP admin** » Sat Mar 10, 2007 9:12 am

The correct answer can be viewed here
[ Click this Link ]

robcar · Post by **robcar** » Sat Mar 10, 2007 4:48 pm

Nice new profile (I guess it is new since I have never come across it before) - photographed against the light (as shown in the quiz photo) it does look different from a the rest of the O. fusca group

However in the more 'normal' photos it does look rather similar to the rest of the group - I do not think I would have noticed anything different from the other plants had I come across them myself - however from now on I will now be looking out for a yellowish border around the labellum.

I initially thought it was one of those plants considered as O. parosica - this name refers to some kind of O. fusca with a flecked labellum

Post by **MWP admin** » Sat Mar 10, 2007 6:07 pm

Yes, that was the scope of the photo against light, to highlight thewell-marked yellow margin and the light blue speculum.

In the profile, I marked the main 4-5 differences. Size is also important as 'normal' O. fusca tends to have labella of 12-18mm. Personally, the size was the first ring-of-the-bell that this is something different.

Now I am hunting for O. pectus and obviously O.lutea (if you see the latter blossoming please PM/call/email/sms/fax/send a letter/visit me/etc !!!