OPHRYS SPHEGODES ssp. MINIPASSIONIS 

(Romolini & Soca)

Last updated 23/04/2012

This plant was described as the new species Ophrys minipassionis  in December 2011 by Rolando Romolini and Romieg Soca. For the time being I consider it here as a subspecies of Ophrys sphegodes.

The taxon has a characteristically small labellum (5-6mm wide) and generally is without, or with only very small, protuberances. It flowers mid-April.

The pictures here from Volterra (PI) show plants Rolando Romolini pointed out to me as characteristically Ophrys minipassionis. They correspond to plants I had previously photographed near Città di Castello (PG) and Arezzo (AR), and it would seem that plants growing in the Piobbico area also belong to this taxon.

Literature:

-Romolini, R., Soca, R. (2011), "New Species in Ophrys (Orchidaceae) to the Italian and French Florae", JEO (43:4), pp.759-784 (p.772-3).