Editing Ophrys apifera (section)

== Reproduction ==

''Ophrys apifera'' has been considered to preferentially practice [[self-pollination]].<ref>{{cite book |title= The Correspondence of Charles Darwin:, Volume 14; Volume 1866 |author= Charles Darwin |editor1= Frederick Burkhardt|editor2=Duncan M. Porter|editor3=Sheila Ann Dean|editor4=Shelley Innes|editor5=Samantha Evans|editor6=Alison M. Pearn|editor7=Andrew Sclater|editor8=Paul White |edition= illustrated |publisher= Cambridge University Press |year= 2004 |isbn= 9780521844598 |page= 129}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |title= The Various Contrivances by which Orchids are Fertilized by Insects |author= Charles Darwin |edition= second |publisher= D. Appleton and Company |year= 1898 |page= 52}}</ref> The flowers are almost exclusively self-pollinating in the northern ranges of the plant's distribution, however pollination by the [[solitary bee]] ''[[Eucera longicornis]]'' occurs in the Mediterranean region, where ''Ophrys apifera'' is more common. ''E. longicornis'' males have been observed attempting to copulate with the flowers,<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Fenster|first1=Charles B.|last2=Marten-Rodrıguez|first2=Silvana|year=2007|title=Reproductive Assurance and the Evolution of Pollination Specialization|url=http://english.xtbg.cas.cn/rh/rp/200905/P020090810528272663000.pdf|journal=International Journal of Plant Sciences|volume=168|issue=2|pages=215–228|citeseerx=10.1.1.476.8678|doi=10.1086/509647|s2cid=1890083 |access-date=2 September 2013}}</ref> which emit [[allomone]]s that mimic the scent of the female bee. These allomones are also known to attract bee species ''[[Tetralonia cressa]]'' and ''[[Eucera pulveraceae]]''. In addition to chemosensory mimicry, the labellum of the flower acts as a visual decoy that the male bee confuses for a female.<ref>{{cite book |author1=Bill Neal |title=Gardener's Latin |date=1992 |publisher=[[Robert Hale (publishers)|Robert Hale]] |location=London |isbn=0709051069 |page=9}}</ref> It is believed that male bees preferentially select orchids with the most bee-like labellum and attempt copulation, at which point the pollinia stick to the bee during the [[pseudocopulation]].<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Fenster |first1=Charles B.|last2=Marten-Rodriguez |first2=Silvana |title=Reproductive Assurance And The Evolution Of Pollination Specialization |journal=International Journal of Plant Sciences |date=2007 |volume=168 |issue=2 |pages=215–228 |url=http://www.life.umd.edu/biology/fensterlab/PDF/Reproductive%20Assurance%20Reveiw.pdf |doi=10.1086/509647|citeseerx=10.1.1.476.8678|s2cid=1890083 }}</ref><ref>Dawkins, R. (1986) ''The Blind Watchmaker''</ref> This achieves pollen transfer and, potentially, pollination.

''Ophrys'' like other orchids are dependent on [[symbiotic]] [[fungus|fungi]] at some point during their life cycle, but especially for [[germination]], which may take months or even years underground. Orchid roots contain [[orchid mycorrhiza]], coils of fungal hyphae inside orchid root cells.<ref name="schweiger">{{Cite journal |last=Schweiger |first=Julienne M.‐I. |last2=Bidartondo |first2=Martin I. |last3=Gebauer |first3=Gerhard |date=April 2018 |editor-last=Field |editor-first=Katie |title=Stable isotope signatures of underground seedlings reveal the organic matter gained by adult orchids from mycorrhizal fungi |url=https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1365-2435.13042 |journal=Functional Ecology |language=en |volume=32 |issue=4 |pages=870–881 |doi=10.1111/1365-2435.13042 |issn=0269-8463}}</ref>