Soshnikov's Serapias

Family Orchidaceae. Occurs in the southwest of Krasnodar Krai, in Western Transcaucasia (Abkhazia, Adjara, the Kutaisi region), in the Mediterranean, on the Balkans, in Asia Minor. Grows on slightly damp meadows of lowlands and foothills, on fine sandy, fairly well-aerated soils, poor in nitrogen, very dry (is an indicator of dry habitats).

It is more often found in full sunlight, but sometimes with some shading. This plant received its name from one of the Egyptian gods.

Tubers whole, ovoid or almost spherical. Stems erect, 20-50 cm tall, at the base with 3-4 linear or linear-lanceolate pointed leaves, 8-14 cm long, 0.9-1.4 cm wide, above with 3-4 similar leaves. Inflorescence up to 12 cm tall, of 8-10 flowers. Bracts rectangular, large, elliptic-lanceolate, pointed, purplish, with numerous darker veins, equal to or longer than the flowers. Perianth segments gathered in the form of a helmet, pointed. Outer perianth segments lanceolate, externally greenish-red-brown, internally dark red, with 5 veins, 2-2.7 cm long, lateral [segments] unequal-sided. Inner ones with an ovoid dark-red base transitioning into a long narrowly linear, pointed blade, slightly shorter than the outer ones; the lip up to 3 cm long, with a short claw, at the base with a callous thickening in the form of 2 small, rather thick lobes, slightly papillose-hairy in the middle. The lip is divided by notches into 2 parts. The posterior lobe is kidney-shaped with rounded dark-purple lateral lobes, the anterior lobe pendent, oblong-lanceolate, reddish-brown; the callous tubercles at the base of the lip are whitish or reddish. Ovary sessile, straight. Flowers in May–June.