Habenaria schimperiana raceme of buds

None of them open yet, these dangling Habenaria schimperiana buds form a lax, many-flowered inflorescence. More than 25 flowers may be borne. The long flower pedicels are horizontal, covered in bracts that end before the down curve, where the ovaries at the pedicel tips droop. The buds are shaped like little heads wearing large green military helmets.

Green spurs protrude from the back of each bud. The twists in the spurs are visible in some cases here.

H. schimperiana flowers late in summer (Pooley, 1998; www.africanorchids.dk; www.zimbabweflora.co.zw).