Schizochilus crenulatus inflorescence

The Schizochilus crenulatus inflorescence droops as is typical of the genus. Flowers tend to be presented on one side of the stem or floral axis, rather than in full cylindrical presentation. The somewhat lax spike reaches 15 cm in length, bearing 6 to 25 flowers.

The purple floral bract covers only half of its ovary in the open flowers in picture, but still all of it as well as some parts of the white flower segments too, in the young buds near the tip of the inflorescence. Note the (untwisted) ridges upon the ovaries that are visible.

The floral spurs seen here are pale mauve cylinders with rounded tips, deviating slightly from being straight. The spur lies against the ovary, on the opposite side of the bract. A spur grows from the back of each lip. In the photo the spurs are positioned pointing up, above the pendulous lips.

The flowers of S. crenulatus are sweetly fragrant. Flowering happens in summer (www.africanorchids.dk; www.orchidspecies.com).