O. apifera was first described by Hudson from England as far back as 1762. Its name refers to the
flowers resemblance to a bee and accordingly the species has long been commonly (and not a little
affectionately) known as the Bee Orchid.
It's a widespread orchid with a distribution across temperate and Mediterranean Europe as far east as the Caucasus. In its favoured locations it can be abundant and its choice of habitat is wide, ranging from the driest chalk grassland and garrigue to wet even swampy conditions. It predominently favours
full sun positions but will tolerate (though not relish) even significant shade.
O. apifera is largely self pollinating and this autogamy seems responsible for the frequent appearance
of variant plants, some of which, although not of evolutionary significance occur on a sufficiently regular basis to have aquired formal varietal status.
O. apifera v chlorantha is one of the commoner variants and occurs throughout the range of the
type species. Its appearance is distinctive and although general shape and configuration is normal, the colouration is very different. This variation is particularly common in O. apifera and caused by
a hypochromatic condition that reduces pigmentation. The level of pigment reduction determines the
appearance of the plant and it can vary from a partial loss of colour (as seen here) to a complete
one that renders the specimen almost white. Unsurprisingly this variation is commonly called the
White Bee Orchid. The pictures here come from the Purbeck hills in Dorset (England) and
date from the 28th of June.
