Bertoloni's Bee Orchid vs Common corncockle

Ophrys bertolonii compared with Agrostemma githago

Key Differences

• Bertoloni's Bee Orchid is Least Concern while Common corncockle is Critically Endangered.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Bertoloni's Bee Orchid	Common corncockle
Kingdom same	Plantae (Plants)	Plantae (Plants)
Phylum same	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)
Class	Liliopsida (Monocots)	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)
Order	Asparagales (Asparagales)	Caryophyllales (Caryophyllales)
Family	Orchidaceae	Caryophyllaceae
Genus	Ophrys	Agrostemma
Species	Ophrys bertolonii	Agrostemma githago

Evolutionary Relationship

Bertoloni's Bee Orchid and Common corncockle share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Magnoliophyta. (Flowering Plants)

Conservation Status

Bertoloni's Bee Orchid

LC — Least Concern

Common corncockle

CR — Critically Endangered

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Bertoloni's Bee Orchid	Common corncockle
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Bertoloni's Bee Orchid

Habitat

Typically found in grasslands, wetlands, forests, and cultivated landscapes.

Common corncockle

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including montane grasslands and shrublands, tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, and temperate coniferous forests, among 13 distinct biome types. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Widely distributed across Africa (Lesotho), Asia (7 countries), Europe (24 countries), North America (Canada, Mexico, United States), Oceania and the Pacific (Australia), and South America (Brazil, Chile). Currently classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Bertoloni's Bee Orchid

The Bertoloni's Bee Orchid (Ophrys bertolonii) is a species in the genus Ophrys. It is currently classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in grasslands, wetlands, forests, and cultivated landscapes.

Common corncockle

<em>Agrostemma githago</em>, commonly known as common corncockle, is an annual flowering plant in the family Caryophyllaceae. Once a widespread weed of cereal crops across Europe, Asia, and beyond, this species is now Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List due to the dramatic decline caused by modern agricultural practices, particularly improved grain cleaning and herbicide use. Corncockle is a tall, slender plant covered in silky white hairs, bearing large, solitary pink to purple flowers with distinctive dark veining. Its seeds contain toxic saponin compounds called githagins, which historically contaminated grain supplies. The species now survives primarily in wildflower conservation areas, seed banks, and traditional farmland conservation schemes. It typically grows in open, disturbed arable soils with full sun exposure. Biological traits of this species remain poorly documented in the scientific literature.