This is another of the eastern Aegean specialities belonging to the O. attiviria group of species
and whose name refers to the village of Phaselis in Anatolia.
It was first described by Ruckbrodt and Ruckbrodt in 1996 and has always presented challenges
in terms of its relationship with fellow group member O. parosica. Delforge always accepted the possibility of conspecificity with these closely related species and it would appear he now feels that O. phaseliana's species status should perhaps be reduced back to a varietal position as O. parosica v phaseliana.
Speaking personally, we find the Aegean fusca's, centred on Lesbos, Chios and Rhodes a most
demanding group anyway but these two particular species are especially frustrating and difficult
to separate. Not only are they variable as species, they vary from island to island to the point
that an O. parosica from Lesbos can outwardly appear identical to an O. phaseliana from Chios !
The illustrations are all from Chios and we have chosen examples that seem to best conform to the
type, although even here the colouration's are not particularly typical ( to the extent that there
is any typicality ). The characteristic brown/yellow striation or blotching is however normally
present to some degree, even if only vaguely.
Features worth noting when comparing to O. parosica is the more oval shape of the overall flower and the noticeably raised prominences which give a greater impression of lobe separation.
The pictures date from the first week of April.
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