Pterygodium nigrescens

Pterygodium nigrescens, commonly the black-faced orchid, a feature confirmed by the specific name, nigrescens (Latin for blackish), was previously scientifically known as Corycium nigrescens. It is a slender to robust perennial growing from a tuber to heights around 50 cm. 

The spike of small, dark flowers is typical, unmistakable and confirms the sense in the names. To the top of the inflorescence in picture the flowers show some pinkish colouring on the median sepals, buff on the bracts.

The widespread species distribution ranges from the east of the Western Cape, from the Outeniqua Mountains near Mossel Bay through the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal and inland to the Lowveld of Mpumalanga and Limpopo. The species also occurs further in Africa as far as Malawi and Tanzania. The photo is from the Steenkampsberge in Mpumalanga.

The habitat is predominantly summer rainfall grassland to elevations of 3000 m, often mountainous terrain. The habitat population is deemed of least concern early in the twenty first century (Liltved and Johnson, 2012; Pooley, 1998; iNaturalist; www.plantzafrica.com; http://redlist.sanbi.org).