Fly Orchid

Fly Orchid
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Orchidaceae
Subfamily: Orchidoideae
Genus: Ophrys
Species: O. insectifera
Binomial name
Ophrys insectifera
L.
Synonyms

Ophrys insectifera, the Fly Orchid, is a species of orchid and the type species of the genus Ophrys. It is native to Europe and favors sites with alkaline soil. The name arises because it resembles a fly, being totally dependent on flies and bees for pollination. The plants use scent to attract male flies, which pollinate the flowers as they attempt to mate with the flower. The scent released by the flowers mimic female fly sexual pheromones.[1]

See also

References

  1. ^ Borg-Karlson, Anna-Karin; Inga Groth, Lennart Ågren and Bertil Kullenberg (1993). "Form-specific fragances from Ophrys insectifera L.". Chemoecology (Birkhäuser Basel) 4 (1): 39–45. doi:10.1007/BF01245895. 

External links

Media related to Fly Orchid (Ophrys insectifera) at Wikimedia Commons