Sawfly Orchid
Ophrys tenthredinifera
The name is a misnomer; while it looks like a sawfly, it actually mimics the scent and shape of female Gorytes wasps to trick males into pollinating it.
- Scientific name
- Ophrys tenthredinifera
- Taxonomy
- Plantae › Tracheophyta › Liliopsida › Asparagales › Orchidaceae › Ophrys
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- grassland
- Habitat
- Mediterranean meadows, garrigue, and open woodlands on calcareous soil.
- Diet
- Photosynthetic, supplemented by symbiotic mycorrhizal fungi.
- Range
- Spain, Italy, Greece, Turkey, North Africa
- Size
- 10 to 45 cm in height
- Lifespan
- Perennial (10+ years via tuber regeneration)
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Urban development, agricultural intensification, and illegal harvesting by collectors.
- Safe to approach?
- Harmless. Do not pick or trample the flowers, as orchids have fragile root systems and specific fungal requirements. Observe from a distance to avoid soil compaction around the tubers.
Ophrys tenthredinifera , the sawfly orchid, is a terrestrial species of orchid native to the Mediterranean region from Portugal and Morocco to Turkey. The common name refers to a purported resemblance between the flower and the sawfly, a wasp-like insect.
Photo: Léo Souillard, CC-BY, via iNaturalist
Plain-text version: /species/b3366230-e8c5-4803-a2ab-15a52bb6a030.md