Satyrium longicauda var. longicauda flowers

Some flower details can be seen on this pale pink flower spike of Satyrium longicauda var. longicauda. The hooded white lip forms a bonnet-like cover with ragged margin over the inner flower parts, where the two whitish pollinia can be discerned in at least one of the flowers. The other sepals have pale pink tips.

The photo does not allow full appreciation of the length of the spurs pointing downwards at the back of the flowers. They may become 4,6 cm long, longer than the flowers ovaries. One common name of this plant is long-tailed trewwa, referring to these long spurs.

The long floral spurs and conspicuous nectar guides suggest pollination by long-proboscid flies. The flowers resemble some Disa species, including Disa draconis and D. schlechteriana that are pollinated by such flies.

Flowering happens from spring to summer (Liltved and Johnson, 2012; Manning, 2009; Germishuizen and Fabian, 1982; iNaturalist).