Ophrys bertolonii

Family Orchidaceae. Occurs on rocky and turf-covered hills and slopes on the Mediterranean coast of Europe. Rare. Named in honor of the Italian botanist of the 19th century A. Bertoloni (A. Vegtoloni).

Plants 8-30 cm tall. Tubers rounded. Stem ribbed, bluish-green. Leaves bluish-green, with distinct venation; lower leaves 2-5 in number, elongate-lanceolate; upper ones narrower. Bracts longer than the ovary. Perianth widely open. Sepals ovate-lanceolate, narrowed, obtuse, three-nerved, light- or bright violet-pink, sometimes white, with a bright green midstripe; the dorsal sepal is inclined over the column. Petals rather thick, short and narrowly triangular, with reflexed margins, pink or purple-violet, more rarely whitish. The lip about 2 cm long, broadly obovate, at the base with 2 small, black, shiny appendages, three-lobed, above dark purple, almost black and densely velvety, below light green. On the upper surface of the lip there is one (rarely 2-3) broad, almost quadrangular spot, at first yellowish, then light blue, with a double yellow edging. The appendage at the tip of the lip is small, bluish-green, situated in a small notch. Column long. Flowers from mid-spring to early summer.

Known in cultivation in the Netherlands and Germany.