Ophrys albarranii (Orchidaceae): new records and revised taxonomic status, from variety to species

Ophrys bombyliflora var. albarranii P. P. Ferrer, E. Laguna & D. C. Gómez-Montblanch was described as a hypochro-matic natural variety of the bumblebee orchid (O. bombyliflora Link), apparently endemic to the Iberian Peninsula. It was described from Alcalá de Guadaíra (Seville, Andalusia) from a very small population, and some specimens were transferred to CIEF (Centre for Forestry Research and Experimentation, Quart de Poblet, Valencia, Spain) in order to describe the new taxon and prepare the holotype. Recently, a new population has been discovered in Morón de la Frontera (Seville) some 30 km away from Alcalá de Guadaíra.
Data on the number of individuals and habitat description are reported here. All the populations seem to be fer-tile and maintaining their characteristics. Additionally, hybrid forms with the plants of dark brown labellum (O. bombyliflora s. str.) were found at least in Alcalá de Guadaíra. Despite the recessive attributes of hypochromatism, these populations maintain by themselves.
Given the above, a review of its taxonomic status is recommended, so the upgrade to species level is here pro-posed, as Ophrys albarranii, based on O. bombyliflora var. albarranii, a new combination and a name at new rank.