Most of the Mediterranean, where it is fairly common in the western and central parts of the range, but its frequency decreases towards the east – for example, it is rare on several Aegean islands. In Cyprus, O. tenthredinifera is known from one locality only, and it has not been found in the Middle East. [Aeg, Alb, Bal, Cor, Cre, Fra, Gre, Ita, Mal, Por, Sar, Sic, Spa, Tur, Yug; Ana, Cyp, Mor, Tun]
Plant compact to slender, 10-30(-45) cm tall with (1-)2-10 flowers in a (relatively) dense spike. Sepals violet to white, (broadly) elliptic, 11-13 × 6.5-10 mm; dorsal sepal more or less boat-shaped, slightly incurved, from the base reflexed. Petals of the same colour as the sepals, (ovate-) triangular (often auriculate) with flat margins, 4-6 × 2.5-6 mm, velvety to shaggy, spreading. Lip with brown ground colour and a broad yellow (to light brown) margin, straight with recurved sides, entire, 9-16 × 10-20 mm, more or less hairy (especially along the margin) and with a particularly prominent tuft of hairs close to the apex; bulges weakly developed, distinctly isolated from the margin of the lip; apex emarginate, provided with a short erect, narrowly triangular point; mirror distinct, consisting of a simple and fairly small H- to horseshoe-shaped figure, the basal arms of which are connected to the base of the lip, dull greyish blue to greyish violet with a pale border. Column rounded, not tapering towards the base (in side view); stigmatic cavity at least as wide as long and approximately twice as wide as the anther, devoid of lateral, eye-like knobs at base.
Calcareous to slightly acid soil, in full sunlight or light shade from sea level to 1800 m altitude. Typical habitats include roadside verges, grassland, garrigue, open pine woods and old olive groves.
Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592
