Disa ferruginea buds

These buds of Disa ferruginea comprise three notably large parts:

Firstly, there is the long cone-shape of the dorsal sepal with its spur already far developed at the back. It has a peak over its hooded entrance at its other end, still closed in the bud stage by the lateral sepals.

Secondly, there are the floral bracts that wrap around the ovaries at the base of each flower. They taper (maybe attenuate) to narrowly pointed tips, projecting needle-like tips above their undeveloped flowers in picture. They even reach above the top of the cone-shaped inflorescence itself.

Thirdly, the ovaries themselves are large, twisted, oblong bodies where the numerous small seeds will grow; easily forgotten in contemplation of the more visually compelling parts of an orchid flower (Liltved and Johnson, 2012; Bean and Johns, 2005).