Disa bolusiana, the flower

The multicoloured Disa bolusiana flower is usually darkest on the lower part of its recurving or straight down lip. In the photo it presents a dark brownish purple colour. Single lateral teeth are visible on the side of the lip.

Above the lip, uppermost is the dorsal sepal or hood, narrowly erect over the two lateral petals, dark on their outer margins. The lateral sepals are bigger and more noticeable than petals, as is common in Disa flowers. The sepals spread laterally beside the flower centre, their tips recurving strongly on the specimen in picture.

The palest colours, pale yellow to lime-green, occur near the centre of this flower. Here one finds the column, comprising the semi-pendent anther, the stigma, the rostellum and more; vital flower parts but tiny, hardly more than 1 mm in length (Liltved and Johnson, 2012).