About Ophrys speculum Link
Ophrys speculum Link is a terrestrial orchid that grows up to 25 centimeters tall. Each inflorescence holds between 2 and 8 large flowers, and the plants often grow in groups. In bright sunshine, the flowers are highly visible because light reflects off the speculum located in the center of the lip. This speculum is bright iridescent purple-blue, very glossy. The lip is three-lobed, bordered by a greenish-yellow edge, which is itself surrounded by a band of thick, velvety reddish-brown hairs. The sepals and petals are green, marked with violet spots or stripes. Ophrys speculum is distributed throughout the Mediterranean region, and it is especially abundant in Portugal’s Algarve region. It grows scarcer further east. In Europe, it is also known to occur in Spain, Cyprus, and Greece. It can be found at elevations up to 1,200 meters above sea level. The mirror orchid grows in stony, rocky areas, grassland, scrub, and pine forests. It inhabits dry to moist calcareous soils, and tolerates both full sunlight and light shade. This species is pollinated exclusively by the wasp Dasyscolia ciliata. Male wasps are lured to the flower because it resembles a female wasp. Both the flower and the wasp are hairy, and the blue patch on the flower’s lip mimics the reflection of the sky on the wasp’s wings. In addition, the flower’s scent matches the mating pheromones of female wasps. This causes male wasps to become highly excited and attempt to copulate with the flowers, pollinating them during the process.
