Eulophia tenella colours

The Eulophia tenella inflorescence is a densely flowered spike carrying from 5 to 25 flowers. Tenella (Latin) means delicate, referring to the growth habit. The plant in flower is not a strong presence in the summer grass, requiring vigilance to be spotted.

Brick red to brown predominates in the inflorescence of the photo, much of it embellished by glossy surfaces. The stalk or axis of the spike is green. The narrow, pointed floral bracts pale green to cream.

The lateral petals, creamy yellow on their outer surfaces add various hues of the fleeting red-brown ilk on their insides, apart from some random yellow and green speckling, as well as several shade variations.

The flowers of this Eulophia never open with as much conviction as those that spread their sepals widely. Petals and sepals soon subside over the lip with age. This orientation is fairly similar to their opening phase, apart from the ovary now also slumping tiredly into a droop of final abandon. Still, on the inside the essential processes of fruiting and seed formation are progressing, unseen but functional, fulfilling life's purpose (Liltved and Johnson, 2012; Pooley, 1998; iNaturalist).