Ophrys apollonae

Ophrys apollonae, the Apollona bee-orchid, is a very early flowering terrestrial species of orchid native to Greece (Rhodes, Chios and Samos islands) and Turkey (İzmir and Muğla provinces).[1] Morphologically similar to Ophrys omegaifera, but usually with a short stem and with one (more rarely 2) small flowers, with length just above 1 cm.[2] This bee orchid's lip is 11.7 - 13.7 mm long, much smaller than that of Ophrys omegaifera var. basilissa which is also a very early plant.[3] It is proven that it attracts the bumble bee Anthophora nigriceps, a different pollinator than Ophrys omegaifera. Other differentiating characteristics include the way in which it holds its flowers horizontally out from the top of the stem. Its name is a reference to the village of Apollona which nestles in the Southern foothills of the mountain on which it was discovered and studied.