Habenaria galpinii buds

In these Habenaria galpinii buds the sepals still envelop the petals, lip and column. This allows the important inner parts to mature in safety, hence the purposeful covering, judged from the determined look upon the mouth-like bud ridges.

Positioned outside this covering is the spur of the flower, long, thin and narrowly sac-like. It is already well developed in the photo, carried not far from the ridged ovary that thins into the flower stalk. The spur, growing from the back end of the lip, is thus not enclosed during the bud phase with the rest of the lip, the three lip lobes. A leafy bract folds around the base of the flower stalk and ovary.

Stubbly hairs characteristic of this Habenaria species sparsely cover the buds, bracts and inflorescence stem, less visible on the shiny spur (Lowrey and Wright, 1987; iSpot; www.orchidspecies.com).