IBICENCAN ORCHIDS

Hello everyone, friends of the WOX community!

I recently had the opportunity to go on an excursion with the Amics de la Terra group to discover the wild orchids in the fields of Ibiza.

When we talk about orchids, this image comes to mind, of the plant that we can find in a florist's shop.

--Source: internet--

And we don't imagine that they can grow in the wild.

Ophrys bertoloniiformis.

In Ibiza there are 27 species of orchids, and on this excursion we found some of them.

The outing takes us around Cala d'Hort and Puig des Savinar, one of the most biodiverse places on the island.

An expert biologist explained to us some curiosities about this fascinating family of plants, such as the fact that they use tricks to be pollinated by certain groups of insects, imitating their shape and colours.

In spite of being a protected area, in the surroundings of Puig des Savinar, there are actions that threaten this habitat and its biodiversity, such as overcrowding and the incivility of some people who pluck the flowers to plant them in a flowerpot.

This is the report I made during the excursion.

Aceras anthropophorum- "flower of hanged man"

Arriving at the breathtaking island of Es Vedra

We were also able to see many other species of plants, some of them endemic to the Balearic Islands.

Diplotaxis ibicensis- "rabaniza", is a endemic plant of Pitiuses (Ibiza and Formentera islands)

For nature lovers I recommend a book by Hans Giffhorn, "Ibiza, an unknown natural paradise", with magnificent photographs of the flora and fauna of the Pitiuses islands, with an entire chapter dedicated to wild orchids.
Because Ibiza is not just about partying, fortunately.