Disa cornuta at night

Night photography has enabled Judd Kirkel to present flower features with flashlight against a black backdrop sometimes missed or subdued in daytime.

The tepal texture contrasts in this Disa cornuta inflorescence are a case in point. The glistening surface cells on the inside of the dorsal sepals amid the curving (and straight central) veins, is one of the less noticed aspects of these flowers.

The texture of the pale cream lateral sepals is much smoother than on the dorsal one, probably from the cells being smaller. These dark-rimmed sepals on the flowers in the photo are shaped like dog tongues sticking out after activity.

Faint reddish surfaces on some flower parts in picture are firstly seen on the acute tips of the floral bracts, secondly on the lined outer surfaces of the hoods (the dorsal sepals) and thirdly on the faintly spotted spur grown from the back of each hood.

The small convex black lip of the flower is not clearly shown in this photo taken from a low angle (Liltved and Johnson, 2012).