A Significant Cluster of Serapias lingua Near Hybrid

During an exploration focused on Serapias x intermedia, a natural hybrid between Serapias lingua and Serapias vomeracea, a notably numerous group of Serapias lingua was observed in the vicinity.

These specimens of Serapias lingua, commonly known as the Tongue Orchid, exhibited their distinctive tongue-like labellum, often in reddish or pinkish hues. A key diagnostic feature observed, characteristic of the species, is its single, black or dark purple, shiny, disc-shaped callus located at the base of the labellum. The environment, consistent with the species' typical habitat, was an open and sunny area, commonly found in wet meadows or scrublands, where it typically flowers in spring, generally between April and June.