O. lacaena was formerly regarded as a sub-species of O. candica under the name "minoa" but along with other regional variations ( O. helios, O. cytherea, O. lyciensis, O. homeri etc) the splitters have prevailed and it has been deemed now to be a species in its own right.
As with most O. bornmuelleri group members, this flower has
the characteristic thick hairy margin around a much shorter
haired or even hairless inner face. The most obvious features that set it apart from O. candica are the lateral lobes which take the form of short horns. These horns usually curve
slightly outward, though the pictures here dont emphasise this
point very well.
The reclassification of this former subspecies has meant that
O. lacaena's range is now considered to be only the eastern and southern Peloponnese. The pictures here were taken in the latter area near the beautiful seaside town of Gytheio.
