Ophrys subgen. Fuciflorae sect. Apiferae P.Quentin, Cah. Soc. Franç. Orchidophilie 1: 15 (1993).

LSID: 77067838-1

Diagnosis
Section description of Apiferae by Quentin (1993) (Fig. 276/1 in Hennecke 2021).

Type
Ophrys apifera Huds., Fl. Angl. (Hudson) 340 (1762).

Delimítation of sect. Apiferae
The primary features 1, 4 and 5 clearly distinguish the section Apiferae from the other sections within subgen. Fuciflorae. Primary features are in brackets, important features are highlighted in bold. All features are only of a diagnostic character and therefore do not necessarily have a biological function.

1. with tip at the column (1)
2. with appendage (4), directed downwards or backwards towards the stem (5)
3. with pseudo-eyes (3)
4. Middle sepal leaf turned backwards (8)
5. Petals triangular-pointed, small (only about 1/3 the length of the sepal)
6. Lip trilobed (6*), lateral lobes humped
7. Speculum sometimes bip-shaped to multi-limbed

Secondary diagnostic features
1. sepals white to pink

Species within sect. Apiferae
Ophrys apifera
Ophrys schulzei

Identification key to the species in sect. Apiferae
The decisive factor is the size of the lips. Important features, so-called separating features, are highlighted in bold. However, all features are only of a diagnostic character and therefore do not necessarily have a biological function.

1   lip large, S-shaped tip at the column                                           Ophrys apifera
1* lip (very) small, long tip at the column,
    straight (with approach to S-shape)                                              Ophrys schulzei

Possible confusion
None. Ophrys apifera extends from Europe to Turkey, Cyprus, Syria and Israel and thus has a clear pan-Mediterranean distribution area. Ophrys schulzei has its area from Lebanon to Iran. This means that the distribution areas only overlap in Syria and Southeast Turkey.