Eulophia ovalis subsp. ovalis living in the grass

Eulophia ovalis subsp. ovalis may bloom profusely in summer grass stands as in the photo. Flowering coincides with the grass being green and tall, from mid-spring to mid-autumn.

The species distribution is widespread across the eastern parts of South Africa, from the Eastern Cape through KwaZulu-Natal and the Free State to all provinces north of the Vaal River, as well as Zimbabwe.

Most of this region receives summer rain, apart from a part of the Eastern Cape, as far west as Humansdorp that falls within the Cape Floristic Region. Some winter rain is received here and fynbos vegetation prevails in large parts.

The habitat is mainly dry to seasonally marshy grassland from the coast to elevations around 2000 m. This plant is not considered to be threatened in its habitat early in the twenty first century (Liltved and Johnson, 2012; Pooley, 1998; www.redlist.sanbi.org).