25th April 2015, The New Port

This was a chance finding. A walk along the road past the New Port revealed a couple of Serapias in the wide verge between the footpath and the road. A bit further on and a large mixed orchid colony was found. Of note here was my only sighting of Orchis coriophora. again I didn’t get right down to sniff the flower, as this species gets its name from the alleged unmistakable scent of bed-bugs! There were some Orchis picta here, identified by the shorter mid lobe of the labellum. Notably this population had an absence of spots down the centre of the labellum.
Most orchids here though, were Serapias. The were drifts of S. parvifora, as well as S. politisii and some of the near white pink-veined species seen at the British Cemetery (which will probably be identified as a pale S. parviflora).
Why these should be growing in such a place is odd. There are large cycads there which suggests that this was not recently developed with imported seeded top soil and turf. The grass must be cut periodically, but it could be that this is done at a time when the seed is ripening and so these are not dispersed.

O. coriophora        O. picta  .
 
Serapsias parvifloia                                           Serapsias politsii

26th April 2015, Gouvia

Another roadside location, spotted as we went across to the bus stop on the road north from Corfu Town. Two Ophrys were present. O. spruneri, with a three-lobed labellum (not too evident on the photos) was represented by a number of plants, and a solitary O. mammosa which was on its way out. Both the familiar Serapsias parvifolia and S. lingua were represented, as well as O. picta.

 
             Ophys spruneri                       O. mammosa
 
                           Serapias parvifloia                           Serapsias lingua                   O. picta

27th April 2015 Corfu Town

Well, this is on the outskirts of town. While on the buses heading north I had noticed that the large triangular traffic island between the roads leading to Corfu Centre and the New Port was alive with purple spikes of orchids. With a bit of time to fill on the last day we visited and found it even more alive with Serapias species. Like the verges by the New Port it look oldered, regularly mown, open ground

The purple spikes were all Orchis picta. I think I have identified six Serapias growing here and hopefully I will be consistent with those from the other sites. S. parviflora, S. politisii, S. vomeracea, and S. lingua had all been seen before. In addition to this there were S. orientalis (note the heart-shaped epichile with a hairy ‘throat’)and S. ionica (large epichile, and pale sepals among other features). Not bad for the last day.

S. parviflora S. politisii S. vomeracea S. lingua S. orientalis S. ionica Orchis picta