@Article{phyton.2025.065536,
AUTHOR = {Jovan Peškanov, Sandro Bogdanović, Aleksa Vlku, Goran Anačkov, Boris Radak},
TITLE = {Taxonomic Status of the Neglected <i>Ophrys sphegodes</i> subsp. <i>grammica</i> in the Balkan Peninsula},
JOURNAL = {Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany},
VOLUME = {94},
YEAR = {2025},
NUMBER = {6},
PAGES = {1769--1786},
URL = {http://www.techscience.com/phyton/v94n6/62657},
ISSN = {1851-5657},
ABSTRACT = {Since its description, the taxon <i>Ophrys sphegodes</i> subsp. <i>grammica</i> has been considered endemic to Greece. The morphological and chorological data of this taxon have been overlooked because the name has been used as a synonym for <i>O</i>. <i>sphegodes</i> subsp. <i>taurica</i> in most publications and online databases. Recently discovered <i>Ophrys</i> populations in Serbia were identified as <i>O</i>. <i>sphegodes</i> subsp. <i>grammi</i>ca. As these populations represent the northernmost point of distribution of this taxon, we provided data on the morphology, flowering season, and ecology. To determine the taxonomic status of this taxon, we performed comparative morphological analyses, comparing them to other populations of affined taxa (<i>O</i>. <i>sphegodes</i> subsp. <i>grammica</i>, <i>O</i>. <i>sphegodes</i> subsp. <i>taurica</i>, and <i>O</i>. <i>sphegodes</i> subsp. <i>sphegodes</i>). The analysis included 23 morphometric characters, performed on a total of 120 individuals. Examined populations of <i>O</i>. <i>sphegodes</i> subsp. <i>grammica</i> are closely associated with populations of <i>O</i>. <i>sphegodes</i> subsp. <i>sphegodes</i>, with near overlap in the values of the characteristics evaluated, indicating that this subspecies is more morphologically similar to the typical one than to <i>O</i>. <i>sphegodes</i> subsp. <i>tauri</i>ca. Although <i>O</i>. <i>sphegodes</i> subsp. <i>grammica</i> and <i>O</i>. <i>sphegodes</i> subsp. <i>sphegodes</i> are morphologically similar, the flowers of the first taxon are smaller, as evidenced by the length and width of the stigmatic cavity, as well as the length of the petals and labellum. The labellum of <i>O</i>. <i>sphegodes</i> subsp. <i>grammica</i> is shorter than the dorsal sepal, and this feature distinguishes it from both the typical subspecies and <i>O</i>. <i>sphegodes</i> subsp. <i>taurica</i>, where it is longer. The results of this study clearly show that the name <i>O</i>. <i>sphegodes</i> subsp. <i>grammica</i> should not be equated with <i>O</i>. <i>sphegodes</i> subsp. <i>taurica</i>, since it is a morphologically distinct and well-defined taxon.},
DOI = {10.32604/phyton.2025.065536}
}