The spider-orchid (Ophrys fuciflora), is an orchid that belongs to the family Orchidaceae, it grows wild in the Mediterranean areas and prefers calcareous soils. In the province of Salerno it can be found in the Vallone Porto Positano.
The generic name (Ophrys), derives from an ancient Greek word "οφρύς" and means "eyebrow". In the ancient times this plant was used to used to produce a dye to color the eyebrows.
It is a tall herbaceous plant that gets 10 to 15 cm high and it has a high variability of shapes and colours.
The flower is an example of mimicry as it mimics the appearance of a female bumblebee (insect pollinator), in order to attract the male bumblebees for pollination.
Photo gallery
Notes
Gianni Menichetti “Il Porto, storia di un canyon selvaggio”, edizioni Comunicazione e Territorio, anno 2003
Giros, Orchidee d'Italia. Guida alle orchidee spontanee, Cornaredo (MI), Il Castello, 2009