- Family:
- Orchidaceae Juss.
- Genus:
- Ophrys L.
Ophrys apifera Huds.
Ophrys apifera is an attractive orchid with several small flowers, each of which has three large, pink, petal-like outer tepals, a large lip (labellum; modified inner tepal) resembling a bee, and two other inner tepals that look like antennae. The whole flower thus mimics an insect. In biology, the term 'mimicry' refers to cases where natural selection has favoured a resemblance between individuals of different species, and there are numerous examples of orchid flowers that resemble their insect pollinators.

[KSP]
Kew Species Profiles
- General Description
-
Ophrys apifera is an attractive orchid with several small flowers, each of which has three large, pink, petal-like outer tepals, a large lip (labellum; modified inner tepal) resembling a bee, and two other inner tepals that look like antennae. The whole flower thus mimics an insect. In biology, the term 'mimicry' refers to cases where natural selection has favoured a resemblance between individuals of different species, and there are numerous examples of orchid flowers that resemble their insect pollinators.
In other Ophrys species in the Mediterranean region, for example, male bees or wasps try to copulate with the lip of the flowers, which look and smell like the females of their own species. However, O. apifera is generally self-pollinated; the pollinia, which hang on a thread, are blown against the receptive surface of the stigma.
- Species Profile
-
Geography and distribution
Native to Europe, where it occurs In Great Britain, Ireland and the Mediterranean eastwards to the Caucasus, across Turkey to northern Iran, the Middle East and North Africa. In Britain the bee orchid is found as far north as County Durham and Cumbria, but it is more abundant in the south and east. It is scattered throughout Ireland, but here it has declined since the 1930s as a result of the ploughing of grasslands.
The minute seeds are produced in thousands and can blow several kilometres, so bee orchids can appear unexpectedly, especially in exposed ground such as on road cuttings, quarries and other industrial sites, often on chalk or limestone soil (although not exclusively so).
DescriptionThe tubers are rounded. The leaves are mainly in a basal rosette, which appears in the autumn. The stems are up to 50 cm tall, with usually around six (but up to 14) flowers. The sepals are pink or whitish and are 12-16 mm long. The petals are narrow, green or purplish, velvety and 5 mm long. The lip is three-lobed. The lateral lobes form hairy cones. The middle lobe is pointed and bent backwards to form the rounded body of the 'bee', and is brown with a dark, angular u-shape outlined in yellow.
Molecular research and bee orchids at KewThe number of species of bee orchids ( Ophrys species) that exist in Europe has been much-debated, and was the subject of a recent project funded by the John S. Lewis Foundation, involving Kew scientists Dion Devey and Mike Fay, working alongside partners Richard Bateman and Julie Hawkins (Reading University).
The team used a wide range of molecular and morphological techniques in their field study of bee orchid populations across the Mediterranean region. They could discriminate only ten species of Ophrys , even when they applied all the available diagnostic markers, and even then only six groups proved to be consistently recognisable. Morphological analyses also showed significant overlap between populations that had previously been assigned to different species.
The results of these studies will help scientists to prioritise populations more effectively for conservation.
Find out more about Kew's 'Population Genetics of UK Orchids' project
Millennium Seed Bank: Seed storageKew's Millennium Seed Bank Partnership aims to save plant life world wide, focusing on plants under threat and those of most use in the future. Seeds are dried, packaged and stored at a sub-zero temperature in our seed bank vault.
Description of seeds: The tiny seeds are wind-dispersed.
Number of seed collections stored in the Millennium Seed Bank: Two.
Germination testing: 100 % germination was achieved on sterile Norstog media, at a temperature of 21 °C, on a cycle of 12 hours of daylight/12 hours darkness.
This species at KewBee orchids have been planted in long grass alongside the path leading southwards from Elizabeth Gate at Kew. Look out for Saxifraga granulata (meadow saxifrage) and Salvia verbenaca (wild clary) in this area too, both of which are native British grassland species which have declined in numbers in the wild since the Second World War as a result of land use changes.
Alcohol-preserved and pressed and dried specimens of Ophrys apifera are held in Kew's Herbarium, where they are available to researchers, by appointment.
An original painting of Ophrys apifera for Flora Londinensis (William Curtis, 1777), is held in the Library, Art and Archives at Kew.
- Distribution
- United Kingdom
- Ecology
- Dry, open, grassy slopes; usually on limestone or calcareous sand, but also frequently on industrial waste ground, quarries and gravel pits.
- Conservation
- Locally common.
- Hazards
-
None known.
[O-EM]
- General Description
-
Plant slender, (15-)20-50(-70) cm tall with (2-)3-12(-17) flowers in a (relatively) lax spike. Sepals violet to white, narrowly ovate to lanceolate-oblong, 11-17 × 5-9 mm; dorsal sepal boat-shaped, straight to slightly incurved, from the base reflexed. Petals yellowish green to rose-coloured, sometimes suffused with red, triangular (often auriculate) with recurved margins, 1-3(-7) × 1(-2) mm, shaggy, spreading. Lip with (dark) brown ground colour, straight with strongly recurved margin, deeply (to moderately) three-lobed close to the base, 8-14 × 10-16 mm, velvety to shaggy along the margin (otherwise nearly glabrous); side lobes converted into obliquely conical bulges; mid-lobe much longer than the side lobes, rounded, provided with a downward pointing, more or less rectangular to rhomboid appendage (often hidden under the strongly vaulted lip); mirror distinct (rarely obscure), consisting of a more or less H-shaped or often slightly more complicated figure, the basal arms of which are connected to the base of the lip (occasionally, there are also a few isolated markings towards the apex), dull greyish violet with a cream border. Column extended into a sigmoidly curved apex, not tapering towards the base (in side view); stigmatic cavity approximately as wide as long and approximately twice as wide as the anther, with dark, lateral, eye-like knobs at base; pollinia with flaccid stalks.
- Habitat
-
Dry to wet calcareous soil in full sunlight to light shade, from sea level to 1800 m altitude. Typical habitats include edges of woods, open deciduous forest and pine woods, garrigue and grassland as well as open reed swamps and stabilised coastal dunes. Additionally, it is frequently seen as a pioneer plant in places such as recently abandoned quarries, railway embankments and roadside verges.
- Distribution
-
Throughout the Mediterranean, including the Levant, and in Atlantic western Europe north to the British Isles, Holland and Denmark.
Native to:
Albania, Algeria, Austria, Baleares, Belgium, Bulgaria, Corse, Cyprus, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, East Aegean Is., France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Hungary, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Kriti, Krym, Lebanon-Syria, Libya, Morocco, Netherlands, North Caucasus, Palestine, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sardegna, Sicilia, Spain, Switzerland, Transcaucasus, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkey-in-Europe, Yugoslavia
- Arachnites apifer (Huds.) Hoffm.
- × Cephalophrys integra (Sacc.) Cox
- Ophrys albiflora Spruner ex Boiss.
- Ophrys apifera var. almaracensis Pérez-Chisc., Durán Oliva & Gil Llano
- Ophrys apifera f. almaracensis (Pérez-Chisc., Durán Oliva & Gil Llano) P.Delforge
- Ophrys apifera var. atrofusca J.Dierckx, Kreutz, D.Riepe & L.Segers
- Ophrys apifera subsp. austriaca (Wiesb. ex Dichtl) K.Richt.
- Ophrys apifera var. badensis L.Lewis & Kreutz
- Ophrys apifera f. badensis (L.Lewis & Kreutz) P.Delforge
- Ophrys apifera var. basiliensis S.Schwegler & Matthies
- Ophrys apifera f. basiliensis (S.Schwegler & Matthies) P.Delforge
- Ophrys apifera var. belgarum Turner Ettl.
- Ophrys apifera f. belgarum (Turner Ettl.) P.Delforge
- Ophrys apifera f. bicolor (E.Nelson) P.D.Sell
- Ophrys apifera f. botteronii (Chodat) P.D.Sell
- Ophrys apifera subsp. botteronii (Chodat) Nägeli
- Ophrys apifera var. brevilabellata Kreutz, R.Selig & Zelesny
- Ophrys apifera f. brevilabellata (Kreutz, R.Selig & Zelesny) P.Delforge
- Ophrys apifera var. cambrensis M.J.Clark
- Ophrys apifera subsp. chlorantha (Hegetschw.) Arcang.
- Ophrys apifera f. curviflora (A.Soulié) P.Delforge
- Ophrys apifera var. curviflora A.Soulié
- Ophrys apifera f. flaveola Klaver & Kreutz
- Ophrys apifera f. flavescens (Rosbach) P.D.Sell
- Ophrys apifera subsp. friburgensis (Freyhold) P.Fourn.
- Ophrys apifera var. friburgensis Freyhold
- Ophrys apifera f. fulvofusca (M.P.Grasso & Scrugli) P.Delforge
- Ophrys apifera var. fulvofusca M.P.Grasso & Scrugli
- Ophrys apifera subsp. immaculata (Bréb.) O.Nägeli
- Ophrys apifera var. jenensis Voelckel & E.Theel
- Ophrys apifera subsp. jurana Ruppert ex Zimm.
- Ophrys apifera var. laetitiae Klaver
- Ophrys apifera subsp. muteliae (Mutel) K.Richt.
- Ophrys apifera subsp. olimpiadae Ugr. ex E.G.Camus
- Ophrys apifera subsp. olympiadae Ougrinski
- Ophrys apifera var. patinata U.Grabner & Kreutz
- Ophrys apifera f. patinata (U.Grabner & Kreutz) P.Delforge
- Ophrys apifera subsp. purpurea (Tausch) K.Richt.
- Ophrys apifera var. renatae K.Barbieri, L.Barbieri & Contorni
- Ophrys apifera var. saraepontana (Ruppert) Soó
- Ophrys apifera var. tilaventina Nonis & Liverani
- Ophrys apifera f. tilaventina (Nonis & Liverani) P.Delforge
- Ophrys apifera subsp. trollii (Hegetschw.) K.Richt.
- Ophrys apifera f. trollii (Hegetschw.) P.D.Sell
- Ophrys apifera var. urbinensis Klaver
- Ophrys aquisgranensis Kaltenb.
- Ophrys arachnites Mill.
- Ophrys asilifera Vayr.
- Ophrys austriaca Wiesb. ex Dichtl
- Ophrys bicolor O.Nägeli
- Ophrys botteronii Chodat
- Ophrys chlorantha Hegetschw.
- Ophrys epeirophora Peter
- Ophrys friburgensis (Freyhold) O.Nägeli
- Ophrys immaculata (Bréb.) O.Nägeli
- Ophrys insectifera subsp. apifera (Huds.) Moggr.
- Ophrys integra Sacc.
- Ophrys jurana (Ruppert ex Zimm.) Neuberger
- Ophrys mangini Tallon
- Ophrys purpurea Tausch
- Ophrys ripaensis Porta
- Ophrys rostrata Ten.
- Ophrys saraepontana Ruppert
- Ophrys trollii Hegetschw.
- Orchis apifera (Huds.) Salisb.
- Orchis pseudoapifera Caldesi
- English
- Bee Orchid, Bee orchid
Ophrys apifera Huds. appears in other Kew resources:
Date | Reference | Identified As | Barcode | Type Status | Has image? |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
United Kingdom | 144.000 | No | |||
Goddard, A., United Kingdom | 145.000 | No | |||
Howton, B.M., United Kingdom | 146.000 | No | |||
Ryan, P.J., Ireland | 20378.000 | No | |||
Syngrassides, A. [1527], Cyprus | 20379.000 | No | |||
Jones, E., United Kingdom | 20381.000 | No | |||
Bruce, E.A., United Kingdom | 20746.000 | No | |||
Holland, S., United Kingdom | 28188.000 | No | |||
Livingston, A. | 28722.000 | No | |||
Watson, J.M. [190], Turkey | 29290.000 | No | |||
Stokoe, R., Spain | 30538.000 | No | |||
Wood, J.J. [97], Cyprus | 38923.000 | No | |||
Wood, J.J. [261], Greece | 39349.000 | No | |||
St. White, R., Cyprus | 42814.000 | No | |||
Ross-Craig, S., United Kingdom | 45594.000 | No | |||
Wood, J.J. [551], France | 45884.000 | No | |||
Clements, M.A. [2614], Greece | 48311.000 | No | |||
Joseph, J. [239], Spain | 48336.000 | No | |||
Wood, J.J. [772], Cyprus | 50106.000 | No | |||
United Kingdom | 5797.000 | No | |||
Summerhayes, V.S. [1920], United Kingdom | 5799.000 | No | |||
Milne-Redhead, E., United Kingdom | 5800.000 | No | |||
Melville, R., United Kingdom | 5802.000 | No | |||
MFF [MFF 312] | 70405.000 | No | |||
MWC [MWC 10248] | 70515.000 | No | |||
Chase [13839], United Kingdom | 71067.000 | No | |||
s.coll. [s.n.] | K000363963 | Yes | |||
Chase [34549], Italy | 78216.000 | No | |||
Trevelyan, W.C. [s.n.], Portugal | K000363964 | Yes | |||
Chase [34550], Italy | 78215.000 | No | |||
Smith, A.R. [650627/5], Great Britain | K000970105 | No | |||
Ettlinger, D.M.T. [s.n.], United Kingdom | Ophrys apifera var. belgarum | 61181.000 | neotype | No | |
Ettlinger, D.M.T. [s.n.], United Kingdom | Ophrys apifera var. belgarum | K000718367 | neotype | Yes | |
Prescot, J. [182] | Ophrys arachnites | K000363922 | Yes | ||
Jacquin [s.n.], Germany | Ophrys arachnites | K000363921 | Yes |
First published in Fl. Angl.: 340 (1762)
Accepted by
- Castroviejo, S. & al. (eds.) (2005). Flora Iberica 21: 1-366. Real Jardín Botánico, CSIC, Madrid.
- Curtis, T. & Thompson, R. (2009). The orchids of Ireland: 1-160. National Museums of Northern Ireland, Cultra, Holywood.
- Dimopoulos, P., Raus, T., Bergmeier, E., Constantinidis, T., Iatrou, G., Kokkini, S., Strid, A., & Tzanoudakis, D. (2013). Vascular plants of Greece. An annotated checklist: 1-372. Botanic gardens and botanical museum Berlin-Dahlem, Berlin and Hellenic botanical society, Athens.
- Dobignard, D. & Chatelain, C. (2010). Index synonymique de la flore d'Afrique du nord 1: 1-455. Éditions des conservatoire et jardin botaniques, Genève.
- Fateryga, A.V. & al. (2018). https://doi.org/10.14258/turczaninowia.21.4.2 epublication.
- Faurholdt, N. & Pedersen, H.Æ. (2009). Flueblomster fra Marokko til Mellemøsten: 1-122. Dansk Orchide Klub og forfatterne.
- G.I.R.O.S. (2009). Orchidee d'Italia: 1-303. Il Castello srl, Italy.
- Galán Cela, P. & Gamarra, R. (2003). Check List of the Iberian and Balearic Orchids 2 Anales del Jardin Botanico de Madrid 60: 309-329.
- Govaerts, R. (2003). World Checklist of Monocotyledons Database in ACCESS: 1-71827. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
- Hadinec, J. & Lustyk, P. (2017). Additamenta ad floram Reipublicae Bohemicae. XV. Zprávy Ceské Botanické Spolecnosti 52: 37-133.
- Kühn, R., Pedersen, H.Æ. & Cribb, v (2019). Field Guide to the Orchids of Europe and the Mediterranean: 1-430. Kew Publishing, England.
- Mirek, Z., Pi?ko?-Mirkowa, H., Zaj?c, A. & Zaj?c, M (2020). Vascular plants of Poland an annotated checklist: 1-526. W. Szafer institute of botany, Polish academy of sciences, Krakow, Poland.
- Pedersen, H.Æ. & Faurholdt, N. (2007). Ophrys. The Bee Orchids of Europe: 1-297. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
- Takhtajan, A.L. (ed.) (2006). Konspekt Flora Kavkaza 2: 1-466. Editio Universitatis Petropolitanae.
- Vladimirov, V., Dane, F., Matevski, V. & Kit Tan (2014). New floristic records in the Balkans: 25 Phytologia Balcanica 20: 267-310.
- Vázquez Pardo, F.M. (2009). Revisión de la familia Orchidaceae en Extremadura (España) Folia Botanica Extremadurensis 3: 1-367.
Literature
Kew Species Profiles
- Devey, D. (2008). Ophrys: a case of the deceitful origin of species. Kew Scientist 33: 1.
- Devey, D.S., Bateman, R.M., Fay, M.F. & Hawkins, J.A. (2008). Friends or relatives? Phylogenetics and species delimitation in the controversial European orchid genus Ophrys. Ann. Bot. 101: 385-402.
- Harrap, A. & Harrap, S. (2005). Orchids of Britain and Ireland: A Field and Site Guide. A & C Black, London.
- Lang, D.C. (1991). A new variant of Ophrys apifera Hudson in Britain. Watsonia 18: 408-410.
- Pedersen, H.A., & Faurholdt, N. (2007). Ophrys: The Bee Orchids of Europe. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
- Preston, C.D., Pearman, D.A. & Dines, T.A. (eds) (2002). New Atlas of the British and Irish Flora: An Atlas of the Vascular Plants of Britain, Ireland, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. Oxford University Press, Oxford.
- Royal Botanic Gardens Kew. (2008) Seed Information Database (SID). Version 7.1.
- World Checklist of Selected Plant Families (2010). The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Kew Backbone Distributions
- Faurholdt, N. & Pedersen, H.Æ. (2009). Flueblomster fra Marokko til Mellemøsten: 1-122. Dansk Orchide Klub og forfatterne.
- Mirek, Z., Pi?ko?-Mirkowa, H., Zaj?c, A. & Zaj?c, M (2020). Vascular plants of Poland an annotated checklist: 1-526. W. Szafer institute of botany, Polish academy of sciences, Krakow, Poland.
- Pedersen, H.Æ. & Faurholdt, N. (2007). Ophrys. The Bee Orchids of Europe: 1-297. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
- Vladimirov, V., Dane, F., Matevski, V. & Kit Tan (2014). New floristic records in the Balkans: 25 Phytologia Balcanica 20: 267-310.
-
Herbarium Catalogue Specimens
Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
-
Kew Backbone Distributions
The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Selected Plant Families 2022. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/
© Copyright 2017 World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0
-
Kew Living Collection Database
Common Names from Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Living Collection https://www.kew.org/
-
Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone
The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Selected Plant Families 2022. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/
© Copyright 2017 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0
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Kew Science Photographs
Copyright applied to individual images
-
Kew Species Profiles
Kew Species Profiles
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0
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Orchideae: e-monocot.org
All Rights Reserved
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