Orthochilus not vinosus pale buds in a bract

This dense cluster of Orthochilus buds, previously thought to be Orthochilus vinosus, is preparing to blossom. At this stage it presents more of the protective bract-like layer around the buds than much of the buds themselves. No great height is achieved here before the flowers are presented, visible just above the rock where the plant lives. When stems elongate normally, these upper stem-leaves appear further below the flowers, not so crowded, and not so close. When times are tough the urgency of flowering is often higher.

The pale green bract has a couple of stem leaves below it, probably something of a stem-leaf itself. They all fold snugly into each other, the outer one bearing the brunt. Every bud also has its own fleshy bract ending in an attenuating tip. At the base, the big bracts or leaves sheathe the very short flowering stem that is completely hidden by the foliage coverings. The upper big bract has parallel, longitudinal ridges or ribs along its soft-textured surface (iNaturalist; iSpot; www.orchidspecies.com).