The Mirror Orchid
Close-ups of Maltese nature plants around us
The Mirror Orchid known in Maltese as id-dubbiena l-kaħla – (Ophrys speculum) grows on garigue and rocky steppes. It is perennial, bulbous and it leaves are flat and narrow.
Flowers 2-8, with a lip characterised by a bright bluish spot, with yellow, green, or yellowish-green border, have dense and long reddish-brown to brownish hairs along the margin.
Some Gozo plants exhibit a very reduced spot.
As for other Ophrys species, the flowers of these plants look like other insects, hence the Maltese name.
Insects of the opposite sex would try to mate with the flower, in the process pollinating it between March and May.
The Mirror Orchid is very rare and threatened in the Maltese Islands.
It is legally protected, therefore one should not pick, collect, cut, uproot, destroy or damage this unique plant in any way.
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Martin Brown
Apr 21st, 09:28
Orchids are wonderful flowers and mirror orchid is one of the rare variety of orchid. The flower look more like an insect and people who are unknown about this plant would think it to be a kind of insect. As this plant is very rare so it is protected legally in Malta. The rare varieties of orchids are difficult to grow in garden and extra care is required to grow them.http://www.gsplantfoods.com
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