Orthochilus not vinosus but what?

Orthochilus vinosus is the name previously thought to fit this plant. From the generic link to Eulophia the name Eulophia vinosa also exists. Neither of these names occur in the recognised South African Orthochilus or Eulophia species lists by SANBI. But the plant exists in the veld, is much photographed, and presented by iNaturalist as O. vinosus.

Other names that have come into the reckoning for naming these flowers include E. leontoglossa (alternately O. leontoglossus), O. ecristatus, and O. aculeatus subsp. huttonii, none of which presents a reasonable possibility. This website reports what it finds in the literature and observes in the plants photographed, also corrects its errors as they are discovered, but can go no further as it represents only an amateur effort. As the matter stands this flower must currently be regarded as nameless.

The species is a low-growing or dwarf terrestrial orchid. It appears to belong in the Eulophia genus, or since the 2014 split better fitting in Orthochilus. The leaves are only beginning to develop when these plants bloom.

The distribution lies in parts of Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal.

The habitat is open grassland of the highveld, the plants often found among granitic or sandstone rocks at elevations between 1200 and 1800 m. The status of the habitat population is unknown (iNaturalist; iSpot; www.orchidspecies.com).