Ceratandra atrata short spike

Ceratandra atrata inflorescences may be short as seen here. The flower spike may, however, also be longer, reaching about 17 cm in length. Long or short, the flower spike of all orchids, also this one, is a complex affair, presenting a busy image of many initially puzzling components.

It becomes a bit easier when one realises that the same parts are repeated in each of the constituent flowers. And every flower is constructed in nature to perform the same seed production function from parts that represent the same constituent tasks, although each species in its unique way.

The cauline stem leaves visible here are present all the way up to the flowers of the spike, some leaf tips turned black. The leaf margins are ciliate, whitish (Liltved and Johnson, 2012; Manning, 2007; Bean and Johns, 2005; iSpot).