Serapias lingua L.(tongue orchid): naturalised in the Adelaide Hills, South Australia - caveat cultivator?

Abstract

The European tongue orchid (Serapias lingua) is reported as naturalised from a site at Ironbank in the Adelaide Hills, South Australia where plants have now been observed sporadically over at least a 13 year period. Despite the removal of all visible plants in 1997, there was subsequent re-establishment, with 23 plants again removed in 2010. Although the colony is small, the reappearance of plants after their presumed eradication, combined with evidence of limited seed set indicates that ongoing monitoring of the site is required to prevent further reoccurrence. This also suggests that the disposal of unwanted cultivated Serapias material should be done with care to prevent further escapes.