Bonatea boltonii

Bonatea boltonii is a tuberous perennial that may be either erect or decumbent. It grows from oblong tubers, usually reaching heights between 10 cm and 75 cm. The genus, sometimes referred to as wood orchids, has similarities to Habenaria.

The species distribution is widespread in the eastern parts of South Africa, from Makhanda (Grahamstown) in the Eastern Cape, through KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga to Polokwane in Limpopo.

Its habitat is diverse, including grassland, bushveld and coastal dunes, occasionally forest margins and Albany thicket in summer rainfall conditions, from sea level to 1900 m. The habitat population is deemed of least concern early in the twenty first century (iNaturalist; www.africanorchids.dk; http://redlist.sanbi.org).