Satyrium carneum flowers

The flowers of Satyrium carneum, commonly known as the waxy satyr or waxy satyr orchid (among several other names), have sepals and petals that are nearly free. These perianth segments all recurve strongly near their tips to almost being rolled up.

The sepals are narrower than the elliptic lateral petals. The lateral sepals are lance-shaped to oblong, becoming about 1,5 cm long. The median sepal below is narrower. It is positioned at the bottom of the flower as this species has non-resupinate (untwisted) flowers, the lip or median petal remaining at the top.

The lip has two spurs as is typical in Satyrium, the likeness to the horns of a satyr used in the generic name. The slender spurs of S. carneum become up to 2 cm long, longer than the flower ovary. The column in the flower centre has big, elongated viscidia on either side of the similarly long central rostellum lobe. The ovary that carries the flower angled up and outwards, varies in length between 11 mm and 18 mm (Liltved and Johnson, 2012; Manning, 2009; www.plantzafrica.com).