Ophrys insectifera Linnaeus var. arachnites Linnaeus, Species Plantarum 2: 949. 1753.

RCN: 6855.

Lectotype (Baumann & al. in Mitteilungsbl. Arbeitskr. Heim. Orchid. Baden-Württemberg 21: 509, Abb. 31. 1989): [icon] " Orchis andrachnitis" in Plantin, Pl. Stirp. Icon.: 185. 1581.

Current name: Ophrys apifera Huds. ( Orchidaceae).

Note: The varietal epithet was originally spelled “adrachnites” in the protologue but was subsequently corrected by Linnaeus. Rothmaler (in Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. 49: 280. 1940) treated this as the basionym of O. arachnites (L.) L. (1754), followed by Greuter (in Candollea 44: 566. 1989). However, Britten (in J. Bot. 47, Suppl. 1909; 50: 312-314. 1912) argued that " O. arachnites " resulted from a typographic error. Stearn (Introd. Ray’s Syn. Meth. Stirp. Brit. (Ray Soc. ed.): 42-68. 1973) evidently agreed as he did not list the name as new.