Sombre Bee Orchid

Height: 10-30cm
Colour: Brown, Green, Yellow
Flowering: February to May
Soil type: Alkaline

This is an early flowering orchid, beginning in February. Its colours are sombre as the common name suggests, therefore it can be difficult to spot even though it can be found growing in large scattered groups. There are between 3 to 10 flowers per stem. The sepals are green, the main lip and its three lobes are a velvety brown with a central bluish W. There is usually a very fine yellow to green trim around the three lobes which lacks the velvet appearance.

 

It grows in full sun to partial shade in alkaline soils. They can be found in pastures, garrigue, scrubland and woodland clearings to an altitude of 1100m.

These images of orchids were taken in Southern Spain, many terrestrial species are widespread from the Iberian peninsular eastwards through the Mediterranean region.