Serapias strictiflora v distentata

John and Gerry's Orchids of Britain and Europe

Serapias strictiflora v distenta

This highly unusaal variety of S. strictiflora was first described from Portugal by Helmut Presser in 2004 and its name literally means straddled or spread, this being a reference to the way in which the lateral sepals have become elongated and projected themselves forward.

This curious variation can occur in any part of the range of the type species which is predominently the
Algarve of southern Portugal, Andalucia in southern Spain and some regions of north Africa.

This genetic abnormality is highly uncommon and the phenomenon has not been noted with any regularity (if at all) in any of the other Serapias species.

The example illustrated here comes from a massive and mixed Serapias community in the Alenquir district of central Portugal and dates from the 19th of April, at which time the plant was past its best.