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Undetermined pseudophrys .  

The pseudophrys are sometimes difficult to determine on the one hand because the authors do not agree and as already indicated, the iconographic base supposed to illustrate their guides is limited and varies enormously from one guide to another. The descriptive part is also confusing because the criteria are broad and overlap from one species to another. In their defense, hybrids are common. 

Should we only see in this case Ophrys fusca and countless varieties or subspecies as long as we agree on stable characters. An observation of a few days in the Aude left me perplexed, here is an anthology of the specimens encountered. 

In mainland France, you will find on the Parthénope guide of the orchids of France (Bournérias and Prat) O. vasconica, O. lupercalis, O. bilunulata, O. forêti, O. sulcata.  Ophrys fusca being considered as an Iberian species. The guide to European orchids from the same publisher (Kühn, Pedersen, Cribb), on the other hand, only recognizes Ophyrs fusca as a species and O. vasconica as a hybrid. Delforge in his guide to orchids in France (ed Delachaux) names O. delforgei, O. bilunulata, O. fusca, O. lupercalis, O. arnoldii, O. forêti, O. sulcata, O. vasconica._cc781905-5cde-3194 -bb3b-136bad5cf58d_ 

Delforge on the one hand and Bournérias and Prat therefore agree on almost all the species and their distribution. 

Click on the photos to enlarge

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