O. ferrum-equinum
was first described by Desfontaines from the Greek island of Samos in
1807, and its name refers to the characteristic horseshoe shaped
speculum from which it also derives its common name of the Horseshoe
Orchid.
This
species has a localized but wide distribution in the eastern
Mediterranean, centred on Greece but reaching as far as Albania to the
North, Kythera to the south and Anatolia to the east. It is a hugely
variable orchid and one where several variations have been formally
described. O. ferrum-equinum var. minor
has been recorded predominantly from the major Greek archipelago's
where it may grow amongst populations of the nominate species and share
the same pollinator. Many botanists regard its appearance as within
naturally occurring species variation.
It is small flowered with a rounded, usually entire lip, bearing an often reduced specular pattern. The sepals although divided by a green central vein, are frequently uni-coloured pink. O. ferrum-equinum var. minor was described by Biel in 2001 but it is currently difficult to differentiate this variant satisfactorily, other than by size.
It is small flowered with a rounded, usually entire lip, bearing an often reduced specular pattern. The sepals although divided by a green central vein, are frequently uni-coloured pink. O. ferrum-equinum var. minor was described by Biel in 2001 but it is currently difficult to differentiate this variant satisfactorily, other than by size.
