Habenaria laevigata

The fragrant flowers of Habenaria laevigata grow in a spike of 12 to 30 flowers. The erect flower stalk is unbranched. Blooming occurs late in spring and through summer. Each flower emerges on the side of its partly enfolding bract.

The flowers are housed under a hood formed by the dorsal sepal. The lateral sepals are fairly narrow, tapering and curving to their tips that point outwards or downwards. A characteristic of Habenaria flowers is the shape of the receptive stigma surfaces, two projecting club-shaped organs forming part of the column in the flower centre (iSpot; www.pacificbulbsociety.org).