Centrostigma occultans flower

The inflorescence of Centrostigma occultans comprises three to ten resupinate, creamy-yellow and white flowers in a more or less lax raceme of 6 cm to 16 cm long. The floral bracts taper to acute tips, borne erectly among the flowers, longer than the pedicels.

The dorsal sepal is galeate, i.e. helmet-shaped, the narrow lateral petals positioned up against the margins of this sepal. The lateral sepals are long and lance-shaped, angled down and backwards.

Centre stage is conspicuously occupied by the three-lobed lip of the flower. Firstly, positioned below and pointing straight down from the flower centre, the lip has its central lobe, almost linear in shape tapering to an acutely pointed tip. Two flashy lateral lip lobes have their deeply fringed thread-like tips pointing outwards. A long, cylindrical spur, thin and pale, grown from the back of the lip, hangs down in front of the twisted ovary.

The rostellum in the central column is three-lobed, its lateral lobes elongated like horns curving upwards. The flowers exude a sweet fragrance. Blooming comes in late spring and early summer. An elongate-cylindrical fruit capsule follows the flower (Leistner, (Ed.), 2000; www.orchidspecies.com).