Eulophia cucullata

Eulophia cucullata, sometimes commonly called the foxglove orchid, is a terrestrial orchid, a slender herb growing to heights from 25 cm to 50 cm.

Annual leaves and a flower stem grow from the perennial tuberous rootstock. The long narrow leaves become 30 cm long and 1 cm wide. They are either absent at bloomtime or only partly grown.

The species distribution in South Africa is only the KwaZulu-Natal coast but in tropical Africa it occurs at elevations up to 1700 m. The plant is also found on Madagascar.

The habitat is grassland, marsh edges and woodland. The species is not considered to be threatened in its habitat early in the twenty first century (Pooley, 1998; www.zimbabweflora.co.zw; http://redlist.sanbi.org).