This subspecies appears endemic to southern Italy, from Abruzzo southwards, although O. dinarica and O. pharia, originally described from Dalmatia, might belong in its synonymy. Ophrys fuciflora subsp. apulica is abundant in southern Puglia and on Monte Gargano. In Sicily, it is very rare and restricted to coastal areas in the south. Reports from some of the Aegean Islands all seem erroneous and should be referred to O. ×vicina nm. “calypsus”. [Ita, Sic].
Plant 15-35(-60) cm tall with 3-10(-14) flowers. Foliage leaves still fresh at the peak of flowering. Sepals rose-coloured to violet, (12-)14-19 × 7-10 mm, 2-2.5(-3) times as long as the petals. Petals (4-)6-9 × 3-5 mm. Lip with light brown to dark reddish brown ground colour, nearly straight, quadrate-trapezoid (to broadly obovate) with sigmoidly recurved sides, 14-18 × 17-22 mm; appendage porrect (rarely upcurved), usually about half as long as the column (occasionally a little shorter); mirror covering approximately half of the lip, H-shaped to more complicated with a branched, cream border.
