Ophrys sphegodes subsp. taurica

Ophrys sphegodes subsp. taurica, with many synonyms, including Ophrys caucasica, is a subspecies of orchid native from southeast Europe through the Caucasus to Iran. As Ophrys caucasica, it has been recorded in numerous areas throughout Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Russia.^[2][3] Local names include Armenian: Սարդակիր Մեղվակիր, romanized: Sardakir mexvakir, Azerbaijani: xarı-bülbül Khari-bulbul and Georgian: ფუტკრის-დედა, romanized: put'k'ris-deda.

Ophrys sphegodes subsp. taurica
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Monocots
Order:	Asparagales
Family:	Orchidaceae
Subfamily:	Orchidoideae
Genus:	Ophrys
Species:	O. sphegodes
Subspecies:	O. s. subsp. taurica
Trinomial name
Ophrys sphegodes subsp. taurica (Aggeenko) Soó ex Niketic & Djordjevic[1]
Synonyms[1]
List Ophrys adonidis A.Camus & Gomb. Ophrys aegilica Engelen Ophrys aesculapii subsp. pseudoaraneifera Renz Ophrys alasiatica Kreutz, Segers & H.Walraven Ophrys amanensis subsp. antalyensis (Kreutz & Seckel) Kreutz Ophrys amanensis subsp. iceliensis (Kreutz) Kreutz Ophrys antalyensis Kreutz & Seckel Ophrys aranifera subsp. boissieri (Soó) Soó Ophrys aranifera subsp. macedonica H.Fleischm. ex Soó Ophrys aranifera subsp. mammosa (Desf.) Soó Ophrys aranifera subsp. taurica (Aggeenko) K.Richt. Ophrys aranifera subsp. vierhapperi (Soó) Soó Ophrys caucasica Woronow ex Grossh. Ophrys caucasica subsp. cyclocheila Aver. Ophrys chaonica P.Delforge Ophrys ciliciana (Kreutz) P.Delforge Ophrys cretensis subsp. samica A.Alibertis Ophrys cyclocheila (Aver.) P.Delforge Ophrys doerfleri subsp. mouterdeana (B.Baumann & H.Baumann) Paulus & M.Hirth Ophrys eretriae M.Hirth & Paulus Ophrys grammica (B.Willing & E.Willing) Devillers-Tersch. & Devillers Ophrys grammica subsp. knossia A.Alibertis Ophrys hansreinhardii M.Hirth Ophrys herae M.Hirth & H.Spaeth Ophrys herae subsp. janrenzii (M.Hirth) M.Hirth Ophrys herae subsp. osmaniaca Kreutz Ophrys hittitica Kreutz & Ruedi Peter Ophrys hystera Kreutz & Ruedi Peter Ophrys iceliensis Kreutz Ophrys janrenzii M.Hirth Ophrys knossia (A.Alibertis) P.Delforge Ophrys leucophthalma Devillers-Tersch. & Devillers Ophrys macedonica (H.Fleischm. ex Soó) Devillers-Tersch. & Devillers Ophrys mammosa Desf. Ophrys mammosa subsp. caucasica (Woronow ex Grossh.) Soó Ophrys mammosa subsp. ciliciana Kreutz Ophrys mammosa subsp. cyclocheila (Aver.) B.Baumann, H.Baumann, R.Lorenz & Ruedi Peter Ophrys mammosa subsp. falsomammosa B.Baumann & H.Baumann Ophrys mammosa subsp. grammica B.Willing & E.Willing Ophrys mammosa subsp. janrenzii (M.Hirth) Kreutz Ophrys mammosa subsp. leucophthalma (Devillers-Tersch. & Devillers) Kreutz Ophrys mammosa subsp. macedonica (H.Fleischm. ex Soó) Kreutz Ophrys mammosa subsp. mouterdeana B.Baumann & H.Baumann Ophrys mammosa subsp. parviflora Kreutz & H.Heitz Ophrys mammosa subsp. posteria B.Baumann & H.Baumann Ophrys mammosa subsp. serotina B.Willing & E.Willing Ophrys mammosa subsp. taurica (Aggeenko) Soó Ophrys mammosa subsp. vierhapperi (Soó) Soó Ophrys morio Paulus & Kreutz Ophrys mouterdeana (B.Baumann & H.Baumann) P.Delforge Ophrys osmaniaca (Kreutz) P.Delforge Ophrys palaestinae Kreutz & Shifman Ophrys paphlagonica (Kreutz) P.Delforge Ophrys posteria (B.Baumann & H.Baumann) Devillers & Devillers-Tersch. Ophrys prespaensis M.Hirth & Paulus Ophrys pseudomammosa Renz Ophrys sintenisii H.Fleischm. & Bornm. Ophrys sphegodes subsp. alasiatica (Kreutz, Segers & H.Walraven) H.Baumann & R.Lorenz Ophrys sphegodes subsp. caucasica (Woronow ex Grossh.) Soó Ophrys sphegodes subsp. grammica (B.Willing & E.Willing) Kreutz Ophrys sphegodes subsp. herae (M.Hirth & H.Spaeth) Kreutz Ophrys sphegodes subsp. janrenzii (M.Hirth) Kreutz Ophrys sphegodes subsp. mammosa (Desf.) Soó ex E.Nelson Ophrys sphegodes subsp. parnassica Soó ex J.J.Wood Ophrys sphegodes subsp. sintenisii (H.Fleischm. & Bornm.) E.Nelson Ophrys spruneri var. orientalis Soó Ophrys taurica (Aggeenko) Nevski Ophrys transhyrcana subsp. morio (Paulus & Kreutz) Kreutz Ophrys transhyrcana subsp. mouterdeana (B.Baumann & H.Baumann) Kreutz Ophrys transhyrcana subsp. paphlagonica Kreutz Ophrys transhyrcana subsp. sintenisii (H.Fleischm. & Bornm.) Kreutz Ophrys willingii Paulus & M.Hirth

According to the IUCN Red List, the category and status of the species is "Endangered" – EN B1ab(iii)+2ab(iii).^{[citation needed]}

Description

During various stages of growth, the white petals of Ophrys sphegodes subsp. taurica turn into pink, where various colors (green, yellow, red, etc.) merge together. There are also patterns on the lip.^[4]

Distribution

Ophrys sphegodes subsp. taurica is widely distributed. In southeast Europe, it is found in Albania, Bulgaria, East Thrace, Greece, Crimea, Romania and former Yugoslavia. In Western Asia, it is found in Crete, Cyprus, the East Aegean Islands, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon-Syria, the Palestine region and Turkey. It is also native to the North Caucasus and the South Caucasus.^[1]

Local etymology

In Armenian, its native name (sardakir mexvakir) refers to its primary pollinators, spiders (sard) and bees (mexu) and their food (kir).^{[citation needed]}

Khara in Azerbaijani is a thick and shiny fabric with different patterns that changes its colors when look at from different angles. Because of these characteristics, the plant acquired its Azerbaijani name, which translates as 'khara nightingale'. The spelling of the word khara becomes khari by requirement of the law of harmony in Azerbaijani.^[5]

Culture

2007 stamp of Azerbaijan depicting the flower

Khari Bulbul Music Festival logo in 1991

In 2014, an exhibition titled "Khari bulbul, a flower of peace and love" was organized by the Federal National Cultural Autonomy of Azerbaijanis in Russia.^[6] In March 2014, a presentation ceremony involving Ophrys sphegodes subsp. taurica took place in the United States Botanic Garden Conservatory.^[7]