Serapias lingua

Serapias lingua is a terrestrial orchid that is found in Europe.

Distribution

Serapias lingua is found in western North Africa, Spain, Portugal, France, Italy, Yugoslavia, Albania, Greece and all the Mediteranean islands west of Crete at elevations of 0 to 200 meters. Plant is usually found in damp meadows and open fields

Description

Plants flower in spring to early summer with 2.5 cm flowers and then they go dormant in mid and late summer.

Culture

Serapias lingua in its habitat

Grow in partial sun. Plant grows in cool to cold temperatures and should be water regularly during growing season and reduced during flowering. With hold watering during dormancy period (in winter and summer) and mist occasionally. Pot with 70% fine to medium grade perlite or clay and 30% soil, peat, or bark. Plant can tolerate frost.

Varients

Image	Name	Description
	Serapias lingua subsp. stenopetala	Sepals and petals are light green, lip is yellow and bigger
	Serapias lingua varinent	Sepals, lip, and petals have red veins.
	Serapias lingua varinent	Sepals, lip, and petals are white and pink on the edge.

Naming

Common Name: Toungue orchid, The Tongue Serapias

Synonyms

1. Helleborine leucoglottis Steud. 1821
2. Helleborine Lingua Pers. 1807
3. Helleborine oxyglottis Pers. 1807
4. Lonchitis oxyglottis (Willd.) Bubani 1901
5. Orchis lingua (L.) Scop. 1772
6. Serapias brevibracteata St.-Lag. 1880
7. Serapîas columnae (Rchb. f.) Lojacono 1909
8. Serapias excavata Schlechter 1923
9. Serapias glabra Lapeyr. 1813
10. Serapias laxiflora var. columnae Rchb. f 1851
11. Serapias lingua f. pallidiflora E.G.Camus, Bergon & A.Camus 1908
12. Serapias lingua subsp. duriaei (Rchb. ex Batt.) Maire 1931
13. Serapias lingua subsp. oxyglottis (Willd.) Maire & Weiller 1959
14. Serapias lingua subsp. stenopetala (Maire & Stephenson) Maire & Weiller 1959
15. Serapias lingua subsp. veneris Balayer 1986
16. Serapias lingua var. duriaei Rchb. ex Batt. 1884
17. Serapias lingua var. flavescens Balayer 1986
18. Serapias lingua var. hirsuta Boiss. 1842
19. Serapias lingua var. leucantha J.A.Guim. 1887
20. Serapias lingua var. longibracteata J.A.Guim. 1887
21. Serapias lingua var. oxyglottis (Willd.) E.G.Camus 1908
22. Serapias lingua var. rubescens Balayer 1986
23. Serapias lingua var. stenopetala (Maire & T.Stephenson) Maire 1938
24. Serapias mauretanica Schltr. 1923
25. Serapias oxyglottis Willd. 1805; Serapias oxyglottis var. pallescens Mutel 1836
26. Serapias parviflora var. columnae (Rchb. f.) Ascherson & Graebner ?
27. Serapias stenopetala Maire & Stephenson 1930
28. Serapias stricta Welw. ex Woods 1858
29. Serapias strictiflora Welw. ex Veiga 1886
30. Serapiastrum lingua (L.) A.A.Eaton 1908