O. atlantica is a slender plant, usually growing to between 15 and 30cm (6 and 12in) tall, but occasionally up to 35cm (14in) tall. It has one to four flowers in a loose spike. The sepals are of a pale greenish colour. The central sepal is incurved, forming a hood over the column. The lateral petals are green or brown and have wavy edges. The lip or labellum of the flower is saddle-shaped with a narrow base. It is usually about 15–22mm (0.6–0.9in) long and 12–22mm (0.5–0.9in) across, three-lobed at the end. The labellum is purplish-black overall, paler at the base, with a distinct shiny blue speculum or mirror.[3]
Although O. atlantica has been treated as a subspecies of O.fusca,[1] it can be distinguished from that species by the wavy-edged lateral petals and the saddle-shaped lip with a narrowed base.[3]
Taxonomy
O. atlantica was first treated as a distinct taxon by Heinrich Gustav Reichenbach in 1851 who considered it to be the variety durieui of O.fusca. Károly Soó later treated this variety as a subspecies. It was first recognized as a distinct species under the name Ophrys atlantica by Giles Munby in 1899, although others later reduced it again to a variety or subspecies of O.fusca.[1]As of September2025[update], Plants of the World Online accepted it as a distinct species.[1]
Distribution and habitat
O. atlantica is mainly found in northwest Africa (Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia). It occurs very locally on the Costa del Sol in southern Spain.[1][3] Typical habitats include open woodland, garrigue and scrubby grassland, where the soil is basic. It occurs from sea level up to altitudes of 1,500m (4,900ft).[3]
Ecology
O. atlantica is pollinated by the megachilid beeMegachile parietina (syn. Chalicodoma parietina). It shares this pollinator with O.bertolonii; both species have a saddle-shaped lip or labellum, which likely represents an adaptation.[3]
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