Ophrys apifera
Ecology
A tuberous perennial herb of calcareous, well-drained soils. Habitats include grasslands, scrub, railway banks, roadsides, lawns, sand dunes and limestone pavement; also disturbed sites such as quarries, gravel-pits and industrial waste ground. 0-335 m (near Parsley Hay, Derbys.).
Status
Trends
The overall distribution of this species in Britain is stable, but it has declined in Ireland, where many losses were before 1930. Declines are due to habitat destruction, especially ploughing of grassland and the in-filling of quarries. It is, however, much better recorded now, and readily colonises newly available sites.
World Distribution
Submediterranean-Subatlantic element.
Broad Habitats
Light (Ellenberg): 8
Moisture (Ellenberg): 4
Reaction (Ellenberg): 8
Nitrogen (Ellenberg): 3
Salt Tolerance (Ellenberg): 0
January Mean Temperature (Celsius): 3.9
July Mean Temperature (Celsius): 15.7
Annual Precipitation (mm): 807
Height (cm): 45
Perennation - primary
Life Form - primary
Woodiness
Clonality - primary
Count of 10km squares in Great Britain: 936
Count of 10km squares in Ireland: 182
Count of 10km squares in the Channel Isles: 4
Atlas Change Index: 0.83
Weighted Changed Factor: 51
Weighted Change Factor Confidence (90%)
JNCC Designations
Atlas text references
Atlas (338a).
1988. The Irish Red Data Book. 1. Vascular Plants. .
1991. Wild orchids of Dorset. .
1965. Vergleichende Chorologie der zentraleuropäischen Flora. Volume 1. 2 vols. .
1991. The orchids of Suffolk.
Wells & Cox (1989
1991)