Serapias
(the old Greek name given by Dioscorides to one of the Orchids, and derived from the Egyptian deity Serapis). SYN. Helleborine. ORD. Orchideae. A small genus (four or five species) of hardy, terrestrial Orchids, natives of the Mediterranean region, one extending as far as the Azores. Flowers often rather large, few in a spike; sepals erect, connivent or coherent in a tube; petals sometimes smaller, sometimes scarcely shorter, but much narrower; lip three-lobed, the lateral lobes erect, the middle one tongue-shaped and pendulous. Leaves narrow. Tubers undivided. In habit the species much resemble those of Orchis (which see for culture).
S. cordigera (heart-bearing).* Heart-flowered Orchis. fl. brown and lavender; lateral segments of the lip obtuse, erect, connivent; middle one longer, ovate, often cordate at base, acuminate, the disk pilose, the basilar callus deeply bilobed; bracts often longer than the flowers; spike at first crowded. h. 1ft South Europe, 1806. (A. B. R. 475; B. M. 5868A; S. F. G. 932.) S. Lingua (tongue-lipped). Tongue-flowered Orchis. fl. reddish-brown; lateral segments of the lip ovate, obtuse; middle one longer and narrower, oblong-lanceolate, acuminate; basilar callus obscure, sulcate or flat; bracts shorter than the flowers; spike at first loose. h. 1ft. South Europe, 1786. (B. M. 5868B; H. E. F. 111; L. B. C. 655; S. F. G. 931.) The variety luteola has yellowish and purplish flowers.
S. papilionacea-lingua (a natural hybrid between Orchis papilionacea and S. Lingua). fl. five or six to a spike; sepals and petals pale green and pale purple, veined; petals erect, free, broad, spreading, and recurved; lip bright purple, large, broadly cordate, the margins crenulate, the base with two tubercles on the very short claw. l. narrow-lanceolate, acuminate, pale green, unspotted. Stem 1ft. or more high. South of France, 1876. (B. M. 6255.)