Orthochilus ensatus leaves

The three or four leaves of Orthochilus ensatus are partly to fully grown at bloomtime. They are borne on a shoot separate from the flower stalk.

The leaves are sword-shaped, stiff, long, narrow and pleated, tapering slowly to their acute tips. Ensatus means sword-shaped, ensis being a sword in Latin. Leaf dimensions are 90 cm by 1,5 cm (Pooley, 1998; Manning, 2009; www.plantzafrica.com).