Habenaria schimperiana flower

The flower of Habenaria schimperiana is green in its extremities, white in the centre. There may be a brown or purplish tinge as well.

Longitudinal ridges are visible upon the dark green ovary surfaces behind the flowers. The pointed, pale green bracts cover only the horizontal part of the flower stalk.

The most conspicuous flower part is the pair of lower petal lobes, large and green (although not at the base) and covered in stubbly white hairs. These tapering lobes point downwards, while the upper pair of petal lobes, small and white, curve back and up around the margins of the erect dorsal sepal.

The three sepals are fairly close together, the dorsal one concave and green at the top of the flower. The pair of lateral sepals are reflexed behind the upper petal lobes.

The column in the flower centre is about white. The thin rostellum arms are conspicuous, positioned below the anthers and above the knob-like green stigmatic arms.

The three green lip lobes, undivided at the base, are visible below the rest of the flower, inconspicuous in the overall floral presentation. The central lip lobe is longer than the ones on the sides.

The flowers of H. schimperiana exude an unpleasant smell (Pooley, 1998; www.africanorchids.dk; www.zimbabweflora.co.zw).