Habenaria clavata inflorescence

The inflorescence of Habenaria clavata is a lax raceme of several, green, insect-like flowers. The floral bracts are ovate in shape, about 3 cm long. They taper to acutely pointed tips and fold around the pedicels that end in the ovaries. The inflorescence becomes about 20 cm long, the flowers spreading around the stalk to create a floral cylinder of 8 cm in diameter.

The flowers in an H. clavata inflorescence all open at the same time. They are nocturnally fragrant (Pooley, 1998; Lowrey and Wright, 1987; www.zimbabweflora.co.zw).