In orchids, the third petal is distinct from the others and bears the name of labellum. Ophrys owes its name to its labellum, brown in color, whose design and its two dots in the shape of eyes evoke a spider.
The petals form the corolla which with the calyx (sepals) constitute the perianth.
Orchids are one of the most diverse families with more than 25,000 species.
Ophrys form a genus of Euro-Mediterranean orchids, which includes a few hundred species.
The spider ophrys is a grassland and clearing plant, growing on rather calcareous ground, up to a thousand meters above sea level.
It measures between 15 and 40 centimeters in height and flowers in spring.
