This Sicillian endemic is a member of the O. bertolonii group and strongly resembles the species after
which the grouping takes its title. It was first described from the Palermo region in 1909 and for
reasons unknown to us, its name literally translates to "distinct".
This choice of name seems somewhat inappropriate given that as already mentioned, its appearance is
far from distinct from that of O. bertolonii with which it frequently associates. The origins of this
species are thought to be hybridogenous between O. bertolonii and O. panormitana , so similarities with
the former are unsurprising. Its interesting however that in area's where they come into contact, they
rarely form intermediates - though it should not be inferred from this that O. explanata cannot be
variable.
The text books cite several differences between the two species including flower size, sepal shape
and lip curvature but these are extremely difficult to assess in the field. Perhaps the single most
important feature which can separate them is the stigmatic cavity which in O. bertolonii is narrow and
long but in O. explanata is broad and short. This is often coupled with a consequent shortening of the
column in the latter but this is diagnostically a less reliable feature.
O. explanata is a scarce orchid but in view of the difficulties with identification may well be an under
reported species. The pictures here are all from two plants found growing by a roadside in the Sortino
area of south east Sicily.
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