Habenaria laevigata bracts

The lance-shaped floral bracts of the Habenaria laevigata inflorescence are erect, tapering to acutely pointed tips. They are taller than the flowers they subtend, their pale green surfaces velvety; a vertical fold visible along each midrib.

The flowers look a bit inhibited by the large bracts, bashfully presenting invitations to pollinators by peeping around the side of their curtain-like bracts. The curved buds getting ready higher up in the photo are beak-like, showing different stages of development.

The specific name, laevigata (Latin) means smooth, referring to the hairlessness of the flowers, which contrast to H. ciliosa, a similar species with hairy flowers (Liltved and Johnson, 2012; Pooley, 1998).