In the pine forests of Profitis Ilias (798 m) on Rhodes, Neotinea maculata is still flowering in April. In addition to the common form with crimson spots on the tiny flowers with a labellum length of only 3 to 5 mm, there is also a pure white-flowered form. Labellum, sepals and petals don’t have the slightest hue. The leaves of these plants are also unspotted. So, the name of the species (maculatus – spotted) is turned into its opposite, and the plants appears as Neotinea “immaculata”, as unspotted Neotinea.
Among the other orchid species on Rhodes Anacamptis pyramidalis can be quite often found in its albiflora form – similar to its appearance in other regions.
White-flowered Orchis anatolica are less frequent than those forms of Anacamptis pyramidali. Even the light pink forms of this beautiful orchid are not very common. The crimson colour of the flowers seems to have a high genetical stability, at least on Rhodes.
