Orthochilus leontoglossus lion tongues

A couple of flower lips, referred to in the plant’s common name as lions tongue, are visible in the photo. The doubtful privilege of inspecting a lion tongue closely would provide information as to whether it’s the shape or the papillose surface that earned this orchid that designation. The possibility that it might be colour can be ruled out.

The rounded, dense flowerhead of cylindrical white buds tinged green, is opening its flowers one by one, none of them spreading the segments widely (Pooley, 1998; Lowrey and Wright, 1987).