Cyprus Wild Orchids

Cyprus in spring is a beautiful place, so lush, green and full of vibrant colours. One of the added beauties of Cyprus is its wild flowers in spring. I've been out and about capturing some photos of wild orchids - they are everywhere at this time of year - some of them extremely rare too.

I'm awaiting the delivery of the 105mm Macro so I can do them better justice. nevertheless, here are a few of the orchids I've managed to track down, identify and photograph.

Ophrys Lutea. Fantastic how the flowerheads resemble flies to attract real flies to land and pollinate the plants.



Ophrys Kotchski. One of the endemic species of Bee orchid that can be found on the island - widespread but hard to find.



Serapia Laxiflora (Long-lipped serapia). Although it looks like red grass, this is an orchid and is locally very common out here.



Serapia Levantinas. One of the serapia species of orchid - quite noticabley different from the previous Serapia species above.



Orchii italica (Naked Man Orchid). I think the reason its' called this is fairly obvious.



Ochii italica (alba?). This sorry looking plant is an extremely rare albino Naked Man orchid. It flowers very rarely in only a few well hidden locations. I discovered 4 plants all together.



Eastern Marsh Helleborine. Another rare orchid. Whats rare about this plant is that it grows only above 1500m in the mountains. This was photographed at 200ft ASL and about 1/2 a mile from the coast - there are no other recorded sites of this plant being discovered so low or close to the sea.



Ophrys apifera sp. (Bi-coloured bee orchid)



Ophrys apifea (Bee orchid) fairly common across the island if you know where to look.



Ophrys Bornmuelleri (Bornmueller's bee orchid). Common locally.



Orchii Corisphora sp. (Fragrant bird orchid) I think you can tell by the shape of the flowers why it's called a bird orchid.



Anacamplis pyramidalis. (violet Pyramid orchid)



Well that's all for now folks - but watch this space - I'm going over to Northern Cyprus on the Turkish part on Sat 11 April to meet with a guy who can show me 10 species of orchid within a two hour walk of his house in the mountains. Now I cant wait to get that macro lens!!!

You are so lucky!!!! I adore Orchids

Beautiful captures

Stop making us jealous!!! Look forward to seeing your macro shots, I'm sure they will be ace!

Arent they lovely, thanks JR, enjoyed looking at those, nature at its best.

Love the bee and bird ones they really do look like them!

Great DOF in all those JR

Very nice work and very informative too

Lovely flowers, pretty! I love orchids too.

xx

I love them too, must be nice to have such a collection to hand. I know England have a good number but I have only one in the field and only that blooms if Alan remembers not to mow it.

Ophrys of some type is what I think it is but not sure, if one is allowed to grow I will get a shot and Jack can tell me.

Thank you for showing us around the flora of your island would think that spring is the best time to find the natural wild flowers as later it must become too hot for all but the most specialised.