Serapias lingua

Common Name - The Tongue Serapias

The likeness of the middle lip lobe of Serapias orchid to a stuck -out tongue is ,in the case of Serapias lingua ,also evident in both the Englih and the Latin name of the species . Furthermore ,the species is interesting for its ability to form short underground shoots ended with daughter tubers -which is why it is oftern found growing in the wild in vegetatively formed groups . Serapias lingua is a rather slender orchid reaching modest heights of up to 14 in /35 cm during flowering . Between 4-8 elongated ,lanceolate ,4.8 -in/ 12-cm long or shorter leaves are concentrated in the lower part of the stalk . A sparse inflorescence is made up of 2-8 whitish to deep purple flowers with embossed dark venation. The middle lobe of the lip is broader and shorter (up to 0.7 in /1.8 cm ), blunt at the top and variable in color -often brick red or whitish purple . The species grows in lighter forests or on bushy hillsides ,as well as on relatively infertile ,damp meadows ,Serapias lingua blooms between March and June and can be found all over the Mediterranean region.

Synonyms

Helleborine leucoglottis Steud. 1821; Helleborine Lingua Pers. 1807; Helleborine oxyglottis Pers. 1807; Lonchitis oxyglottis (Willd.) Bubani 1901; Orchis lingua (L.) Scop. 1772; Serapias brevibracteata St.-Lag. 1880; Serap?as columnae (Rchb. f.) Lojacono 1909; Serapias excavata Schlechter 1923; Serapias glabra Lapeyr. 1813; Serapias laxiflora var. columnae Rchb. f 1851; Serapias lingua f. pallidiflora E.G.Camus, Bergon & A.Camus 1908; Serapias lingua subsp. duriaei (Rchb. ex Batt.) Maire 1931; Serapias lingua subsp. oxyglottis (Willd.) Maire & Weiller 1959; Serapias lingua subsp. stenopetala (Maire & Stephenson) Maire & Weiller 1959; Serapias lingua subsp. veneris Balayer 1986; Serapias lingua var. duriaei Rchb. ex Batt. 1884; Serapias lingua var. flavescens Balayer 1986; Serapias lingua var. hirsuta Boiss. 1842; Serapias lingua var. leucantha J.A.Guim. 1887; Serapias lingua var. longibracteata J.A.Guim. 1887; Serapias lingua var. oxyglottis (Willd.) E.G.Camus 1908; Serapias lingua var. rubescens Balayer 1986; Serapias lingua var. stenopetala (Maire & T.Stephenson) Maire 1938; Serapias mauretanica Schltr. 1923; Serapias oxyglottis Willd. 1805; Serapias oxyglottis var. pallescens Mutel 1836; Serapias parviflora var. columnae (Rchb. f.) Ascherson & Graebner ?; Serapias stenopetala Maire & Stephenson 1930; Serapias stricta Welw. ex Woods 1858; Serapias strictiflora Welw. ex Veiga 1886; Serapiastrum lingua (L.) A.A.Eaton 1908;