Eulophia petersii many leaves

In habitat Eulophia petersii is not as much noted as close-up inspection of its flowers might suggest, although the conspicuous pseudobulbs below the leaves serve as a curiosity. A comparatively large plant, capable of producing several inflorescences from one clump, the flowers impress unexpectedly at close quarters.

The habitat of the species varies much in its large distribution from KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga and Limpopo to tropical east Africa as far as Somalia.

It is found among rocks, growing in crevices, thickets and woodland, but also in less vegetation of hot, dry regions, in variable, often sandy soil. The plants are often seen on rock in little soil, flowering in sun or shade, receiving its rain mostly in summer. The species is not considered to be threatened in its habitat early in the twenty first century (Pooley, 1998; Onderstall, 1984; http://burgersonion.blogspot.co.za; www.redlist.sanbi.org).