Serapias cordigera L.

Spice Flower

Family: ORCHIDACEAE

Genus: Serapias

Province distribution: Balearic Islands. Girona.

Distribution in the islands: Menorca.

General distribution (Phytogeography): Mediterranean

IUCN Category: LCLeast concern

Flowering time: JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Life-forms: Geophyte.

Habitats: Tree heather maquis and silicolous garigues. Therophytic silicolous fields. Therophytics communities.

Characteristics: Serapias cordigera has a wide and cordiforme labellum, purple coloured; this distinguishes it from other species of the genus, the rest have a narrower labellum. In the most interior portion of the labellum are two divergent callosities; Serapias lingua only has one. Lives on siliceous soils and flowers from April until June.