Brownleea parviflora flowers

The fleshy, white flower of Brownleea parviflora is small as the specific name parviflora (Latin) indicates, sometimes only 2 mm in diameter. Flowers sometimes show a slight green or brown tint.

The rounded hood, the dorsal sepal joined by the two lateral oblong to square petals positioned partly inside it, is less than 6 mm in diameter. The two broad lateral sepals are somewhat angular and oblique with pointed tips.

The spur at the back of the dorsal sepal is cylindrical, markedly curved and green in colour with a reddish sheen in the photo, maybe hairy. The small lip, up to 1 mm long, usually less, is positioned in front of the column, its base fused with the gynostemium. The green, twisted ovary becomes up to 1 cm long.

Flowering happens from midsummer to mid-autumn (Pooley, 1998; iSpot; www.africanorchids.dk).