Taxonomic Swap 104513 (Committed on 2022-11-21)

This classification under O. sphegodes is not more consensual than the another classification under O. mammosa, because this taxon is a strongly derivative one, with a unique morphology provocated by a unique pollination strategy in the genus Ophrys (shelter mimicry and not sexual deception).
Furthermore the favourite pollinator if from the genus Eucera (Anthophoridae family) but not Andrena (Andrenidae family) like O. sphegodes s.l. and O. mammosa s.l.
Finally, the morphology suggests also a possible derivative evolution from the O. argolica's group (mainly pollinated by species from genus Anthophora, Anthophoridae), e.g. Ophrys aegaea.
So the best, or the less worst solution, would be to consider it as a full species, as already done by most of the field botanists and orchidologists.

unknown
Added by abounabat on January 31, 2022 11:51 PM | Committed by abounabat on November 21, 2022
replaced with

Comments

@wolfgangb @aztekium @mercantour @surfelife @todd_boland @stamatiskalogiannis : as the main identifiers of O. (subsp.) helenae what do you think about this change suggestion explained above ?
N.B. : I just asked Kew in parallel and will let you know...

Posted by abounabat over 2 years ago

Change would make sense as nowadays most sources use O. helenae and treat it as a full specie (from the mammossa group)
It's a pretty unique ophrys with a well studied distribution and morphologically easily identifiable.
Id be fine with that change. Curious to see what Kew says about it tho!
Now if most here prefer to keep it unchanged I don't mind either.

https://www.greekflora.gr/el/flowers/0813/Ophrys-helenae-Renz-1928
http://www.orchidsofbritainandeurope.co.uk/Ophrys%20helenae.html

Posted by surfelife over 2 years ago

Ok for me
Seems to be more logical
Idem for Kew :
https://powo.science.kew.org/results?q=Ophrys%20helenae

Posted by mercantour over 2 years ago

Non justement, Kew le renvoie en sous-espèce de sphegodes, car ils suivent le guide de Kühn et al. 2019

Posted by abounabat over 2 years ago

Ah
J’ai mal lu alors ☹️

Posted by mercantour over 2 years ago

@abounabat
Any feedback from Kew regarding this Draft?

Posted by surfelife over 1 year ago

If I remember well, Kew just don't want to split a lot of Ophrys when not necessary and when no strong publication justifying the species level...
But I have no problem for deviating here.

Posted by abounabat over 1 year ago

OK

Posted by surfelife over 1 year ago

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