O. attaviria was first described from Rhodes in 1990 by Ruckbrodt and Wenker. Its name refers to the
area in which it was first formally recognized - Mount Attaviros in the north west of the Aegean island
of Rhodes.
This is a rare member of the small ( six species) O. attaviria group whose distribution is based on Rhodes and adjoining area's ofAnatolia, though its full range is not known with certainty but assumed to include some other of the Aegean islands, Crete and perhaps eastwards as far as Cyprus.
This is a very difficult orchid to identify with certainty and having studied many pictures and accounts from other sources - it frankly gets no easier. In fairness many of these sites dont generally claim to be totally authorititive and we make the same disclaimer for the two pictures offered here. There are three features which seem consistent and may be helpful with the identification:- 1. It is a large flower and perhaps one of the largest of the Pseudophrys. 2. It has a narrow yellow to red lip margin. 3. The silver /grey crescents at the tip of the speculum are well demarcated and bold.
The first eight photograph's are from Rhodes and the final two from Lesbos. The Lesbos specimens are
presented as probable O. attaviria but could equally easily be the similar O. cressa ( eptapigiensis ).
Both these species can be late flowerers though much depends on altitude.
The photo's all date from the the third week of April.
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