Orthochilus leontoglossus lip spots

Many flowers are congested in this nodding Orthochilus leontoglossus spike. The lip crest, outstanding feature of the individual flower, is covered in fleshy protuberances with a sparse scattering of dark brown spots.

The sepals and lateral petals have pointed tips, some of which curve back slightly. Bright yellow here, flower colour may also be white, lemon yellow or pink tinged green. There is a slender spur at the base of the lip not in view in this photo.

The species is distributed in the east of South Africa, from the Eastern Cape through KwaZulu-Natal and the Free State to Gauteng, Mpumalanga and Limpopo, as well as beyond the border in tropical Africa. The plant is not considered to be threatened in its habitat early in the twenty first century (Pooley, 1998; www.redlist.sanbi.org).