Ophrys lunulata, the moon orchid, is a species of orchid native to the islands of Malta and Sicily in the central Mediterranean.[1][2][3]

Moon orchid
Moon orchid flower
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Asparagales
Family: Orchidaceae
Subfamily: Orchidoideae
Genus: Ophrys
Species:
O. lunulata
Binomial name
Ophrys lunulata
Synonyms[1]
  • Arachnites lunulata (Parl.) Tod.
  • Ophrys sphegodes ssp. lunulata (Parl.) H.Sund.
  • Ophrys aranifera var. lunulata (Parl.) Rchb.f. in H.G.L.Reichenbach
  • Ophrys aranifera subsp. lunulata (Parl.) E.G.Camus in E.G.Camus, P.Bergon & A.A.Camus

In 1992 Ophrys lunulata was designated as a 'priority species' under Annex II of the Habitats Directive of the European Community (which was reformed as the European Union the following year). This designation was meant to serve as the basis for Italy to declare which areas in which it occurs are 'Special Areas of Conservation' -which were to form the backbone of the Natura 2000 network, but only if these areas include one of the number of habitats listed in Annex I of the directive.[4]

References

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  1. ^ a b Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
  2. ^ Altervista Flora Italiana, Ofride a mezza-luna, Moon Orchid, Ophrys lunulata
  3. ^ Wild Plants of Malta & Gozo, moon spider orchid, Ophrys lunulata
  4. ^ "Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora". Eur-Lex. Retrieved 22 September 2020.
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