Habenaria kraenzliniana early curls

The opening of a Habenaria kraenzliniana bud presents the long thread-like lip lobes and lower petal lobes still curled up from the confined space in the bud within which they had developed. Unfurling takes time, the long limbs were here caught in the act. The closed bud at the top gives an idea of the original packaging.

The rim of the hood is whitish, i.e. the upper petal lobes flanking the dorsal sepal. The smooth and thick green curves of the spurs, occurring below the ribbed ovaries, add to the confusing tangle of tubular and cylindrical floral components (Pooley, 1998; www.orchidspecies.com).