Serapias bergonii

Serapias bergonii is a species of orchids found from Italy to western and southern Turkey.

Serapias bergonii
Flower of Serapias bergonii
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Monocots
Order:	Asparagales
Family:	Orchidaceae
Subfamily:	Orchidoideae
Genus:	Serapias
Species:	S. bergonii
Binomial name
Serapias bergonii E.G.Camus
Synonyms
Serapias laxiflora Chaub. Serapias pseudocordigera var. laxiflora Nyman Serapias wettsteinii Fleischm. Serapias hellenica Renz Serapias parviflora ssp. laxiflora Soó Serapias vomeracea ssp. laxiflora (Soó) Gölz & H.R.Reinhard Serapias cordigera ssp. laxiflora (Soó) H.Sund.

Occurrence in the UK

In 2021, a tongue orchid was found growing in an undisclosed location in Suffolk, and assumed to be lesser tongue orchid. In 2022 after repeated visits by naturalists the ID was reassessed as Serapias bergonii, and suggested as such by Sean Cole, Kew Gardens, and an undisclosed academic. Considering it is native to the SE Mediterranean, it was assumed to have been deliberately planted here. However, in 2023 it emerged that it was not planted there. The orchid grows on private land with limited public access, and it is difficult to see where it could have originated from. There are plans to get the orchids further assessed in 2024 by other academics.

References

Serapias bergonii in the UK

• Media related to Serapias bergonii at Wikimedia Commons
• Data related to Serapias bergonii at Wikispecies