S. cycladum was first described by Baumann and Kunkele in 1989 from Andros (Greece). The species name is a reference to the Cycladic archipelago of which Andros is the most northerly island.
It is endemic to the Aegean where it is distributed from the Cyclades across to a number of widely scattered island locations in the Dodecanese including Samos, Lemnos and Lipsi. It is not a common species but its range may well prove to be rather more extensive in these regions. S. cycladum is a small orchid and although it has been recorded as having up to six flowers, this is far from the norm and two is the more common number and three exceptional. Single flowered specimens are not uncommon and differentiating these from S. carica var. monantha is difficult, especially given their similar habitat requirements and range.
S. cycladum may be found in both dry and more rarely, moderately damp situations on alkaline or acidic substrates. The examples depicted here come from Samos where they occupied a large area of windswept, desiccated coastal phrygana that caused plants to quickly etiolate and brown off. It can often be found growing with several other Serapias group species and hybridization is suspected to be common. Typically S. cycladum has a narrower epichile than similar taxons such as S. carica and S. orientalis. It is also a generally smaller plant but it has to be conceded that distinguishing this species from a weedy, few flowered S. carica is extremely difficult.
As already metioned the illustrations come from Samos and date from the last week of April.
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