Serapias levantina H. Baumann & Künkele 1989 SECTION Bilamellaria SUBSECTION Mediopetalae Photo courtesy of Th. Pain and the Orchids of France and Europe

S vomeracea Group

Common Name The Levant Serapias

Flower Size 1/2" [1.25 cm]

Found in Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Israel and Jordan in short, poor grasslands aqnd damp meadows at elevations up to 600 meters as a small sized, cold growing terrestrial orchid with a red washed stem carrying 4 to 8, lanceolate, acute leaves that blooms on an erect, terminal, 3 t 6" [7.5 to 15 cm] long, laxly few to several [3 to 10] flowered inflorescence, that has large bracts that almost cover the flower which occur in the spring.

Synonyms Serapias levantina subsp. dafnii B.Baumann & H.Baumann 2005; Serapias orientalis subsp. dafnii (B.Baumann & H.Baumann) Kreutz 2005; Serapias orientalis subsp. levantina (H.Baumann & Künkele) Kreutz 2004

References W3 Tropicos, Kew Monocot list , IPNI ; Rudolf Schlechter Die Orchideen Band 1C lieferung 40 pg 2492 - 2564 Brieger 2000 as S levantua?; Orchids of Europe, North Africa and the Middle East Delforge 2005

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