O. incubacea is a widespread orchid and was first described from Sicily in 1842, its name meaning " of
smaller size".
It is not however a particularly small Ophrys , growing to some 60 cms tall in some cases and bearing up
to 10 flowers of medium size. It is a Mediterranean plant and although it reaches Adriatic coasts it does
not cross the Greek mainland into the Aegean - in fact it does not extend beyond Albania and so with
the exception of possible sightings on Corfu it is not present in Greece at all.
O. incubacea is a common orchid and is probably at the height of its abundance in the southern half of
Italy together with Corsica, Sardinia and Sicily. Its not a hugely variable plant though it willingly
hybridizes and produces swarms of confusing offspring. At a well known site in Sicily it has formed
such a swarm in combination with O. speculum and the results are quite beautiful. (See O. spec x inc)
The sepals are sometimes vaguely pinkish but most usually a pale green with the petals being rather more
variable in both size and colouration. The stigmatic cavity has a conspicuous white exterior which
contrasts strongly with the dark brown or red lip colouration and this initself is an important diagnostic
feature.
The pictures here are all from Sicily with the exception of 6 which is a hybrid with O. garganica from the
Gargano peninsula. The Sicily specimens date from the 7th to 20th of April and the Gargano example was
photographed on the 1st of May.
