A. cerigensis was first described by Delforge as a variety of A. pyramidalis from the Aegean island of Kythira in 2010. It was subsequently promoted to full species status by Kreutz in 2024. Its name refers to Kythira's historical Venetian name of Cerigo.

The principal differentiator between this species and most of its cousins is the inflorescence, which differs in its density, its form and the size of its flowers. Pyramidal orchids were so named in reference to their distinctive conical shaped flower heads. In A. cerigensis however, the inflorescence becomes cylindrical with maturity, a feature which is well depicted in the second photo. The individual flowers are carried on a slender, lax spike and are characteristically small, varying little in colour from pure white to the very palest pink. The plant although spindly, is tall, sometimes reaching to over 30cms. As with many predominantly white flowered plants, the stem, ovaries and foliage tend to be a very washed out, yellowish green colour. The overall combination of all these features producing a plant that is highly reminiscent of the unrelated Gymnadenia conopsea.

The species has a widespread but somewhat disjunct distribution from southern Greece, through several but by no means all of the Aegean islands to Anatolia. It flowers from mid April and is appearing at a time when the more frequently encountered A. brachystachys is declining. A. cerigensis shares similar habitat requirements to its close relative and will often be found growing alongside it, but almost invariably individually or in small numbers and at a different stage of development..

The pictures come from the Aegean islands of Crete and Samos, dating from the last two weeks of April.