O. iricolor was first described by Desfontaines in 1807 and its name refers to the iridescence of
the speculum. This feature is largely responsible for the species common name which is the Rainbow
Ophrys.
This is one of the eastern Mediterranean's commoner Fusca's but this doesn't detract in any way
from the elegance and beauty of this large flowered and robust Ophrys. Photograph 1 illustrates
this perfectly, but cant be taken as typical even in its home on Crete where there seems to be a
tendency toward slightly larger flowers and a more colourful speculum. Photographs 5 to 7 give a
better representation of type, whilst photo 3 is a handsome variant from an abandoned olive grove
in the south of Chios near Mesta.
O. iricolor is one of the five members of the O. iricolor group and its distinctive appearance ensures
that its difficult to confuse it for any other species. Its range brings it into contact with fellow
group member O. mesaratica but 3 key features serve to differentiate it. 1 :- The flowers are much
larger, bluer and more striking. 2 :- The underside of the lip is light purple whereas in O. mesaritica
its a darker brown or olive colour. 3 ;- O. mesaritica should be dead and gone by the time O. iricolor flowers from late March ( in Cyprus, where their ranges do not overlap, O. iricolor may be found as
early as mid February ).
This species occurs throughout Greece and its islands, Cyprus, Turkey, Anatolia, down to North Africa
and across to Syria. The photograph's here come from Crete, Chios, Lesbos and Cyprus.
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