Ophrys apifera var. chlorantha

We were very fortunate to find another rare semi hypo-chromatic bee orchid variant, O. apifera var chlorantha. Unlike O. apifera var. basiliensis with its distinct 5 lobed sepal/petal mix, this family member retains the prime structural features of the parent wild type, namely a triad of large sepals (virtually devoid of pigment) and two small rudimentary petals.

Since bee orchids are self pollinating, this ensures the survival and proliferation of these variants adjacent to wild type populations without any genetic interaction between the two.

Nikon Z9 with Irix 150mm macro.

Composite image merged from 8k video file.

Large view

Single flower.

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