Ornithoglossum vulgare flower

The nodding flower of Ornithoglossum vulgare has dark purple tepal tips. The tepals are paler, maroon coloured in their mid-sections where they recurve and nearly white at the base. Flower colour in this species is variable between purple and dull green, the geographical distribution of the plant being large and diverse.

The pouch-like, dark nectary near the base of each tepal can be clearly observed here. The curved filaments are thicker in their mid-sections where they are covered in scattered, tiny, maroon spots. The filaments are white at the base and maroon near the buff, oblong, ridged anthers they bear. The style branch colouring is similar to that of the filaments in having three differently coloured sections.

Blooming comes late in winter to midspring (www.pacificbulbsociety.org).