Serapias strictiflora
Phylum: Magnoliophyta - Class: Liliopsida - Order: Orchidales - Family: Orchidaceae
Description
This tongue orchid is a rather spindly plant and grows to around 35cm tall. There are narrow pointed leaves at the base and a few further bracts occur along the stem. The inflorescence is lax and carries up to 5 medium-sized (smaller than S. vomeracea and larger than S. parviflora) flowers which are dark red. The lip is between 15 - 30mm in length and coated in the centre with dense pale hairs. It would be difficult to spot Serapias strictiflora if it were not for the fact that it can occur in large numbers in its preferred habitat. It is similar in appearance to S. gregaria whose name reflects this tendency to grow in dense groups.
Serapias strictiflora is thought to be a hybrid derived from the Tongue Orchid Serapias Lingua and the Small-flowered Tongue Orchid Serapias parviflora both of which occur in the Algarve, along with Heart-flowered Tongue Orchid Serapias cordigera.
Distribution
Serapias strictiflora is common in the Algarve region of Portugal and is also recorded from Morocco, Algeria and Andalucia.
Habitat
The best place to look for this orchid is on grassy roadside verges and in the barrocal away from the coast.
Flowering times
It flowers from late March through to the end of April or even early May.
The specimens shown on this page were photographed in the Algarve in April.
Etymology
The genus name Serapias comes from the Graeco-Egyptian god Serapis, while the specific epithet strictiflora means 'narrow-flowered', a reference to the narrow lips of these tongue orchids.
Reference sources
The Plant List
Sue Parker (2023) Wild Orchids of the Algarve - where, when and how to find them; First Nature e-book (Amazon Kindle format)
Chris Thorogood and Simon Hiscock (2014) Field Guide to the Wildflowers of the Algarve; Kew Publishing
Pierre Delforge (2005) Orchids of Europe, North Africa and the Middle East; A&C Black
Les Orchidees de France, Belgique et Luxemborg; Parthenope Collection
Please Help Us: If you have found this information interesting and useful, please consider helping to keep First Nature online by making a small donation towards the web hosting and internet costs.
Any donations over and above the essential running costs will help support the conservation work of Plantlife, the Rivers Trust and charitable botanic gardens - as do author royalties and publisher proceeds from books by Pat and Sue.