Ophrys lutea Cav.

Spice Flower

Family: ORCHIDACEAE

Genus: Ophrys

Catalan common name: Abellera groga. Mosques grogues.

Spanish common name: Flor de abeja amarilla. Ofris amarilla.

Province distribution: Alacant. Balearic Islands. Barcelona. Girona. Tarragona. València.

Distribution in the islands: Mallorca. Menorca. Ibiza. Cabrera.

General distribution (Phytogeography): Mediterranean

IUCN Category: LCLeast concern

Flowering time: JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Life-forms: Geophyte.

Habitats: Wild olive trees and other sclerophyllous shrublands. Juniperus phoenicea subsp. turbinata forest. Pine wood and shrubland with rosemary and thyme garigue. Pine woodlands and garriques.

Characteristics: It is easy to identify this orchid because the flower has a yellow labellum (the largest petal), whereas the external tepals are greenish-yellow. Ophrys tenthredinifera also has a labellum with one yellow margin, but it is narrower, moreover the external tepals are pink. Like all the species of the Ophrys genus we will find it in clearings in garrigues (Mediterranean woodland) and in pinewoods. Flowers in spring.