About Ophrys cretica (Vierh.) E.Nelson
Ophrys cretica (Vierh.) E.Nelson grows 10 to 40 cm (4 to 16 in) tall. It produces two to ten flowers arranged in a spike, which can be either lax or dense. The sepals range in colour from green to brownish violet; the lateral sepals are often bicoloured, with green colouring above the midline and brownish violet colouring below. The lip, also called the labellum, is generally around as long as it is wide, measuring between 10–16 mm (0.4–0.6 in). The base colour of the lip is dark brown to purple black. The speculum, also known as the mirror, is roughly H-shaped, but it frequently has additional more complex markings. The upper portion of the speculum reaches the base of the lip. The central parts of the speculum are coloured greyish violet to reddish brown, and the entire speculum is edged with a white border. Ophrys cretica is native to Crete, the East Aegean Islands extending north to Chios, and southeastern mainland Greece, including Attica, Aigina, and the Peloponnese. It grows on calcareous soils, occurring from sea level up to altitudes of 1,000 m (3,300 ft). Its typical habitats are grassland, garrigue, and pesticide-free olive groves. Just like O. kotschyi, which has flowers with similar colouring and patterning, O. cretica is pollinated by bees belonging to the genus Melecta, most specifically M. albifrons and M. tuberculata.
