Tongue orchid flower (Serapias lingua). The name of this orchid derives from the large red lip, a specialised petal that attracts pollinators to the flower. This orchid grows in marshes and in damp meadows in the temperate Mediterranean region. It is a terrestrial orchid (one that grows in the ground). There are more than 30,000 species of orchids worldwide, many of which are grown as ornamental flowers.