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Ophrys morisii x neglecta


O. morisii x neglecta is a hybrid first described from Sardinia by Scruggli and Grasso in 1984 and formally named Ophrys x laconensis. Its name refers to the town of Laconi in the mountainous central region of Sardinia, an area rich in orchid species and not least, the very rare O. ortuabis.

This hybrid may only be found in Sardinia and Corsica where despite the relative local commonness of both O. neglecta and O. morisii, the cross is infrequently encountered. The former species  can be found through most of central and southern peninsula Italy, whereas O. morisii is endemic to Sardinia and Corsica and thus similarly restricting the range of O x laconensis. The parent species can be found in southern Corsica and throughout Sardinia where they favour poor grassland and garrigue, in full sun or mid shade and usually on alkaline substrates, though both will tolerate acid conditions, O. neglecta particularly so.

Morphologically this hybrid generally carries more features attributable to the O. neglecta progenitor but the flower depicted here possesses the distinctive pointed and strongly recurved labellum of O. morisii.

Both parent species are early flowerers and in the very south of Sardinia, O x laconensis can be in bloom as early as mid March. The accompanying picture comes from the area around Acquacadda in central south Sardinia and dates from the second week of April.