S. moreana was first described from the Peloponnese by Baumann and Lorenz in 2005 and is named after Morea, the medieval name for the Peloponnese. It is a member of the S. orientalis group of Serapias.
Its distribution is restricted to the Peloponnese, Kythera and the Ionian islands of Cephalonia and Zakynthos. It is suspected to have a wider range but this has yet to be confirmed. S. moreana is not a particularly rare species which until recently had gone unrecognized due to its similarity to S. orientalis. It is however a usually more robust plant, taller, with a longer inflorescence and broader clasping leaves, The flowers themselves exhibit a significantly long epichile and are almost always reddish brown unlike S. orientalis which frequently produces lighter colour morphs. Flowers can number from 3 to 10 with bracts that are either equal in length or exceed the hood. This is an orchid of dry grassy meadows, wasteland, phrygana and abandoned terraces on predominately alkaline soils.
S. moreana is usually a large species but smaller, less robust plants can be found, though the broader leaves and long epichile are always a consistent distinguishing feature. Overall the species is naturally quite variable and as always with members of the Serapias genus, hybridization can create identification problems. It is a relatively early flowerer first appearing in mid March and in its prime at the beginning of April.
The photographs come from the Peloponnese, dating from the middle of April at which time they were in full flower.
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