Observation of Serapias lingua in Aude, France

This observation stems from a recent exploration across several locations within the Aude department in France. During this outing, we had the opportunity to document an abundant presence of Serapias lingua, commonly known as the Tongue Orchid.

This distinctive perennial herbaceous orchid was found in many spots along our route, with plants in good flowering condition, consistent with its typical bloom period between April and June. Serapias lingua is characterized by its prominent, tongue-shaped labellum (its epichil), which usually displays reddish or brownish hues and measures between 1.5 and 3 cm. A key diagnostic feature for identification is the single, black or dark purple, disc-shaped callus located at the base of the labellum. This species typically thrives in open and sunny environments, such as wet meadows or forest clearings, conditions that appeared to be present at the sites of our findings. Its widespread abundance in the Aude department highlights its successful adaptation to the region's Mediterranean flora, contributing to our understanding of its local distribution.